The Domains of Impaired Inhibitory Control in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

10.52547/jncog.2023.103459
Volume 4, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
December 2023
Pages 18-30

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
Theoretical models of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have suggested that inhibitory control (IC) is a primary deficit in children with ADHD. Inhibition is considered a multidimensional construct with various aspects. Multiple domains of IC are attentional inhibition(AI), response inhibition(RI), and motor inhibition(MI). Although the literature supports that inhibitory deficiencies are the fundamental problem underlying ADHD, it seems that children with ADHD may have deficits with certain domains of inhibition but not with other domains. The purpose of the present study is a comparison of multiple domains of IC in children with and without ADHD. A sample of 80 children ages 6- 12 (46 boys) with ADHD (n=40) and without ADHD (n=40) symptoms participated in the study. Stroop Task (ST), Go/No-Go Task (GNGT), and Circle Tracing Task (CTT) respectively for evaluation of AI, RI and MI were performed by the participants. It was observed that children with ADHD showed worse performance in GNGT and CTT while the performance of children with and without ADHD symptoms did not differ in ST. Children with ADHD symptoms comparing typically developing (TD) children exhibited deficits with certain forms of inhibition. they had impaired performance on prepotent response inhibition and stopping ongoing response, however, no deficit was found in interference control.

Keywords

  • Receive Date 03 April 2023
  • Revise Date 04 May 2023
  • Accept Date 04 May 2023