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Objective Research indicates that individuals with attention deficit disorder (ADD)/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may exhibit left-right asymmetric spatial attention, with deficient processing of stimuli in the left visual hemispace. However, there is controversy as to when this phenomenon can be observed. Background People with ADD/ADHD do not have obvious spatial bias when performing everyday tasks. Visual cancellation tasks have demonstrated behavioral asymmetry in ADD/ADHD, but results have not been consistent across studies. Children and older adults with ADD or ADHD have been assessed, but previous studies of college students with ADD/ADHD are not available. Method We tested 24 students with ADD or ADHD and 24 control students on a verbal and nonverbal cancellation task. Results The ADD/ADHD group made significantly more left-sided omission errors than controls on a letter cancellation task. This group difference was not observed for a shape cancellation task, however. Conclusions These results support possible left visual inattention in college students with ADD/ADHD. Studies of functional correlates of these attentional phenomena are needed.

Objective Clinical utility of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF2) was examined in 1,381 clinically referred youth (62.5% male, 5 to 18 years) with and without ADHD symptoms. Method Participants included children with restricted inattentive symptoms (IA only), restricted hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (HI only), symptoms in both domains (Combined), and non-ADHD clinical comparison. Results Greater hyperactivity (Combined, HI only) was associated with higher Behavior Regulation (BRI) and Emotion Regulation (ERI) scores, whereas greater inattentiveness (IA only, Combined) was associated with higher Cognitive Regulation scores. Effect sizes were largest for Inhibit, Working Memory, and Organization of Materials scales; these scales discriminated children with and without ADHD symptoms and restricted inattentive and hyperactive presentations. Conclusion The BRIEF2 distinguishes associated features of ADHD and the day-to-day executive impact. Sensitivity was consistently poorer than specificity. The referred nature of the sample and examination of restricted presentations suggest additional work is needed to examine whether ERI and BRI are dissociable.