Project Director

Eschman, Bret

Department Examiner

Madden, Julie

Department

Dept. of Psychology

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

Multisensory attention, the selective attention to synchronized audiovisual information, plays a central role in perception, learning, and cognitive control (Bahrick & Lickliter, 2014). Atypical patterns of multisensory attention have been documented in individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), often involving differences in selective attention and temporal processing (Stevenson et al., 2014; Schulze et al., 2021). Despite this, few studies have examined individual differences in adults' multisensory attention using a consistent measure. To advance understanding in the literature, this study investigates whether the Intersensory Processing Efficiency Protocol (IPEP) is a viable longitudinal protocol for assessing developmental multisensory attention. The study sample consisted of 98 adults aged 18-58 who completed the IPEP protocol with self-reported ADHD or ASD symptomology. Participants were drawn from an undergraduate population, comprising 82.7% females and 14.3% males. IPEP eye-tracking data were collected from all participants using the Eyelink 1000+. Intersensory processing efficiency was assessed using latency, accuracy, and fixation-based indices, including the proportion of trials with target fixation and the proportion of total looking time (IPEP; Bahrick, Soska, & Todd, 2018). Associations between symptom severity and IPEP outcomes were examined using correlational analyses, with complementary group comparisons between participants with high and low symptom severity. Across the sample, the proportion of looking time to target (PTLT) was significantly above chance. In addition, frequency differentiation was significantly above zero, indicating that participants attended to the target appropriately relative to the distractor information. This indicates that the IPEP was effective in indexing multisensory attention in adult populations. Most importantly, the mixed ANOVA revealed a robust difference in individual attention to the target between social trials and non-social trials. The results expand the literature on how multisensory attention allocation affects development throughout an individual’s lifetime, broaden understanding of multisensory attention in neurodivergent populations, and inform future research using the IPEP protocol.

Acknowledgments

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Eschman for all his help and guidance in this project. Without his help, this project would not have been possible. With his guidance, I was able to shape both the project's direction and my understanding as a researcher. It was a pleasure working within his lab and also with his peers. Secondly, I would like to thank Master’s student Claire Beach, who was also a crucial part of the guidance, collection, and analysis process. I am very thankful for everything I learned under both Thesis directors. Within the lab, I would also like to thank everyone who collected data, participated in lab meetings, and contributed their ideas. I really appreciated the sense of camaraderie. Learning from several master's students was important for my growth during this project. Finally, I would like to thank Michael Prusha and my family. My family was the personal inspiration for this research and for my continued efforts towards inclusion. I felt a strong personal connection to this thesis, and for that, I am most grateful. I hope this work contributes to the current body of knowledge on neurodivergent populations and supports future efforts toward inclusion.

IRB Number

# 25-092

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

5-2026

Subject

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; Autism spectrum disorders; Multisensory perception

Keyword

Multi-sensory attention; IPEP protocol; Psychology; ADHD; ASD; Adult Attention Allocation

Discipline

Cognitive Psychology

Document Type

Theses

Extent

iii, 25 leaves

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Date Available

8-30-2027

Download

Available for download on Monday, August 30, 2027

Share

COinS