Psychopathology of attention

CONTENT

Introduction

Scharfetter defines attention as "the (active or passive) orientation of consciousness toward something that is experienced. Concentration is the focused persistence of attention." Therefore, for this author, attention would be the center of consciousness. It would be a disposition or attitude capable of mobilizing and focusing the field of consciousness on certain internal and/or external stimuli.

Can be active (the subject voluntarily directs attention towards something) or passive (Attention is automatically directed towards certain contents of consciousness). Likewise, attention is not a permanent and continuous cognitive activity, but can fluctuate over time depending on the physiological conditions and/or motivations of the subject.

Attention can be affected by multiple situations: affective abnormalities, different states of consciousness, motor activity/impulsivity, and brain alterations. In fact, when we talk about attention, we are not referring to a term that clearly defines what we mean: persistence, dispersion/concentration, the ability to effectively maintain divided attention, attentional fatigability, attentional field...? Here, we are simply listing the abnormalities commonly described in the field of psychopathology.

Hypoprosexia

It refers to a decrease in attentional capacity in any of its phenomenological manifestations.

We have the following situations:

• Distractibility of attention: It's a fairly common symptom. It's characterized by the ease with which the individual loses attentional control over a task due to difficulty overcoming distractions, whether external or internal. It can occur in ADHD, physical fatigue, and even in the individual's level of motivation for the task. There are some individuals who, without presenting any of the above conditions, experience significant difficulties and are highly distractible.
• Attentional lability: This refers to a lack of sustained attention, characterized by frequent fluctuations. It is often seen in anxious individuals or those with significant worries.
• Inhibition of attention: It is usually a state of withdrawn attention. Subjects appear indifferent and it is most commonly seen in depressed individuals.
• Attentional fatigability: Some people have a remarkable ability to maintain attention over extended periods. Conversely, in other situations, individuals easily experience attentional fatigue even when the task is not particularly difficult or requires extraordinary resources. This symptom is commonly found in patients with ADHD or specific learning disabilities.
• Perplexity: It is an attention disorder related to alterations in the clarity of the field of consciousness.

Aprosexias

It is the total absence of directed attention. It would be the maximum level of distraction. It is what we find in autistic children, in cases of agitation, and in stupors.

Pseudoaprosexias

Although observationally it might be confused with aprosexia, the subject nevertheless retains their abilities despite appearing to be "disconnected." It commonly occurs in hysteria, malingering, etc.

Paraprosexias

It is an abnormal direction of attention. It can occur in individuals with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder and in hypochondriac patients.

Hyperprosexias

It is an excessive focus of attention that usually occurs in manic states, use of psychostimulants, mystical states, etc.

NOTE: Despite the great importance that the "attention issue" has acquired today, as a consequence of the overdiagnosis of ADD, ADHD, etc., and behind which the interests of the pharmaceutical industry are hidden, it must be acknowledged that attention is crucial for daily functioning and for the future. Attention is the focus that illuminates and activates our entire capacity to attend to everything that can benefit or harm us as individuals living in an environment and making plans for the future. It is the light with which we act and plan, based on the clarity with which it allows us to see our resources and use them efficiently.

REFERENCES

Higueras Arada, A et al. Compendium of Psychopathology. Granada, 1980. Circle of Psychopathological Studies.

Scharfetter, Ch. Introduction to general psychopathology. Madrid, 1977. Morata.