ABSTRACT

Meta-analyses have shown subtle, group-level asymmetries of spatial attention in adults favouring the left hemispace (pseudoneglect). However, no meta-analysis has synthesized data on children. We performed a random-effects meta-analysis of spatial biases in children aged ≤16 years. Databases (PsycINFO, Web of Science & Scopus) and pre-print servers (bioRxiv, medRxiv & PsyArXiv) were searched for studies involving typically developing children with a mean age of ≤16, who were tested using line bisection. Thirty-three datasets, from 31 studies, involving 2101 children, were included. No bias was identified overall, but there was a small leftward bias in a subgroup where all children were aged ≤16. Moderator analysis found symmetrical neglect, with right-handed actions resulting in right-biased bisections, and left-handed actions in left-biased bisections. Bisections were more leftward in studies with a higher percentage of boys relative to girls. Mean age, hand preference, and control group status did not moderate biases, and there was no difference between children aged ≤7 and ≥7 years, although the number of studies in each moderator analysis was small. There was no evidence of small study bias. We conclude that pseudoneglect may be present in children but is dependent on individual characteristics (sex) and/or task demands (hand used).

Registration: Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/n68fz/)

摘要

荟萃分析表明，成年人的空间注意力存在微妙的、群体层面的不对称，偏爱左半脑（假性忽视）。然而，没有荟萃分析对儿童数据进行综合。我们对 16 岁以下儿童的空间偏差进行了随机效应荟萃分析。在数据库（PsycINFO、Web of Science 和 Scopus）和预印本服务器（bioRxiv、medRxiv 和 PsyArXiv）中搜索涉及平均年龄≤16 岁的典型发育儿童的研究，他们使用线二分法进行测试。包括来自 31 项研究的 33 个数据集，涉及 2101 名儿童。总体上未发现偏倚，但在所有儿童年龄均小于等于 16 岁的子组中存在小的向左偏倚。主持人分析发现对称忽视，右手行为导致右偏二分，和左偏二分中的左手动作。在男孩相对于女孩的比例更高的研究中，二等分更向左。平均年龄、用手偏好和对照组状态不会调节偏倚，年龄≤7 岁和≥7 岁的儿童之间没有差异，尽管每个调节分析中的研究数量很少。没有证据表明存在小的研究偏倚。我们得出结论，儿童可能存在假性忽视，但取决于个人特征（性别）和/或任务要求（用手）。尽管每个调节分析中的研究数量很少。没有证据表明存在小的研究偏倚。我们得出结论，儿童可能存在假性忽视，但取决于个人特征（性别）和/或任务要求（用手）。尽管每个调节分析中的研究数量很少。没有证据表明存在小的研究偏倚。我们得出结论，儿童可能存在假性忽视，但取决于个人特征（性别）和/或任务要求（用手）。

注册：开放科学框架（https://osf.io/n68fz/）