Abstract

FRANCA, Valtenice de Cássia Rodrigues de Matos; SANTOS, Natanael Antonio dos  and  MENDES, Liana Chaves. Contrast sensitivity in preschool children with psychophysical method. Psic.: Teor. e Pesq. [online]. 2006, vol.22, n.3, pp. 335-338. ISSN 0102-3772.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-37722006000300010.

The aim of this work was to use the psychophysical forced-choice staircase method to measure contrast sensitivity function for spatial frequencies (CSF) in the range between 0.25 and 4 cpd in preschool children and adults. We estimated the contrast thresholds of 15 participants (10 children and five adults). The results showed that the sensitivity curves (CSF) of 4 and 5 years old chidren and adults were similar in general profiles although they were different between themselves. These results suggest that the psychophysical forced-choice staircase method can be used to measure the CSF of children over 4 years old.

Keywords : contrast sensitivity; visual development; preschool child; spatial frequency; forced-choice staircase method.