Objectives: The dual pathway model explains neuro-psychological heterogeneity in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in terms of dissociable cognitive and motivational deficits each affecting some but not other patients. We explore whether deficits in temporal processing might constitute a third dissociable neuropsychological component of ADHD.Method: Nine tasks designed to tap three domains (inhibitory control, delay aversion and temporal processing) were administered to ADHD probands (n=71; ages 6 to 17 years), their siblings (n=71; 65 unaffected by ADHD) and a group of non-ADHD controls (n=50). IQ and working memory were measured. Results:Temporal processing, inhibitory control and delay-related deficits represented independent neuropsychological components. ADHD children differed from controls on all factors. For ADHD patients the co-occurrence of inhibitory, temporal processing and delay-related deficits was no greater than expected by chance with substantial groups of patients showing only one problem. Domain-specific patterns of familial co-segregation provided evidence for the validity of neuropsychological sub-groupings. Conclusion:The current results illustrate the neuropsychological heterogeneity in ADHD and initial support for a triple pathway model. The findings need to replicated in larger samples. preponderance of females controls (gender χ 2 (1) = 9.37, p < .01). Table 1 reports the background and clinical characteristics for the three groups. .

The revised new forest parenting programme (NFPP) is an 8-week psychological intervention designed to treat ADHD in preschool children by targeting, amongst other things, both underlying impairments in self-regulation and the quality of mother–child interactions. Forty-one children were randomized to either the revised NFPP or treatment as usual conditions. Outcomes were ADHD and ODD symptoms measured using questionnaires and direct observation, mothers’ mental health and the quality of mother–child interactions. Effects of the revised NFPP on ADHD symptoms were large (effect size >1) and significant and effects persisted for 9 weeks post-intervention. Effects on ODD symptoms were less marked. There were no improvements in maternal mental health or parenting behavior during mother–child interaction although there was a drop in mothers’ negative and an increase in their positive comments during a 5-min speech sample. The small-scale trial, although limited in power and generalizability, provides support for the efficacy of the revised NFPP. The findings need to be replicated in a larger more diverse sample

Background: Delay-related motivational processes are impaired in children with

In highlighting the significant, but limited, role of inhibitory deficits in ADHD, these results are consistent with recent accounts that emphasize the neuropsychological heterogeneity of this condition.

Objective: We used multi-level modelling of sib-pair data to disentangle the influence of child-specific and shared family influences on maternal expressed emotion (MEE) towards children and adolescents with attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: MEE was measured for 60 ADHD proband-unaffected sibling pairs aged 6-17 years using the Five Minute Speech Sample. Questionnaire measures of conduct and emotional problems were collected for children and measures of depression and ADHD were collected for mothers. Multilevel models partitioned the effects of 5 MEE components (Initial Statement -IS, Relationship -REL, Warmth -WAR, Critical Comments -CC and Positive Comments -PC) into (i) child-specific and (ii) shared family effects. Results: Significant child-specific influences were confirmed for all MEE components, with higher levels of MEE expressed toward probands than siblings. For REL, PC, and CC, this effect was explained by comorbid conduct problems rather than ADHD. Only low WAR was associated with ADHD itself. Furthermore, only low WAR showed shared familial influences which were in part accounted for by maternal depression.Conclusions: MEE towards ADHD children was influenced by child-specific factors. For most components these were driven by comorbid symptoms of conduct problems rather than ADHD itself. WAR was different -it was influenced by both child-specific and shared familial effects and the child effects showed no relation to conduct problems. Further studies utilising a longitudinal design are required to establish the direction of causation and extend our understanding of the relationship between EE components and ADHD.