Behaviour planning and inhibitory control in Sepedi-speaking primary school children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common disorders that can occur in children. The symptoms are thought to result from a deficit in executive functions. This study investigated whether children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder subtypes differed in behavioural planning and response inhibition, two of the domains of executive functioning, from a control group without attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. Furthermore, it examined whether the three attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder subtypes differed from each other in terms of performance. The sample ( n = 320) consisted of primary school children, aged between 6 and 14 years, from the Moletjie circuit (Limpopo). It consisted of an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder group ( n = 160) and a control group ( n = 160). The Disruptive Behavioural Disorder rating scale was used to establish the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Tower of London was used to measure planning ability, and the inhibition subtest (arrows and shapes) from the NEPSY-II (Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, second edition) to measure response inhibition. Analysis of variance was employed to establish differences in subtype, gender, and age group. The results showed that children with the combined attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder subtype demonstrated significantly more deficits than the control group, in both behavioural planning and inhibition control. No significant differences between the hyperactive/impulsive and inattentive attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder subtypes and the control group were found. Gender and age did not influence performance with regard to planning and inhibition tasks. Correlations between planning behaviour and response inhibition were low, which suggests that they are distinct processes.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and behavioural planning deficiencies in South African primary school children

“…The findings were consistent with the study conducted by Sarkis et al 54 who found that the ADHD-C subtype performed significantly worse than the non-ADHD groups on the TOL. Similarly, Pila-Nemutandani and Meyer, 20 Schmitz et al, 21 Mokobane et al 22 and Solanto et al 55 noticed that children with the ADHD-C presentations were deficient in behavioural planning and that they faced more difficulties when compared to both the ADHD-HI and ADHD-PI presentations and a control group of non-ADHD children. Saydam et al 56 also found that ADHD-C presentations had impaired planning strategies compared to the ADHD-PI presentation.…”

“…Pila-Nemutandani and Meyer. 20 , Schmitz et al 21 and Mokobane et al 22 noticed that children with the combined (ADHD-C) presentation were highly deficient in behavioural planning and faced more difficulties when compared to both the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive (ADHD-HI) and predominantly inattentive (ADHD-PI) presentations and neurotypically children. However, a study by Geurts et al 23 showed no deficiencies in children with ADHD and normal controls with regard to planning.…”

Delay aversion in school-aged children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

“…These 18 items are similar to those in DSM-5 (Doernberg & Hollander, 2016). The study employed the DBD since it is normed for the participants (Meyer et al, 2004) and found to be valid and reliable by other studies (Mokobane et al, 2020; Pila-Nemutandani et al, 2018). Respondents were asked to rate the behaviour of the child on a four-point scale: not at all (0), just a little (1), pretty much (2), and very much (3).…”

“…The dependent variables for this task were the number of consecutive sooner-smaller and larger-later choices, which are indicators of the tolerance to forgo more immediate reinforcement in favour of a longer term reward (Dougherty et al, 2005). Validity and reliability for the TCIP have been established (Dougherty et al, 2005; Mokobane et al, 2020).…”

“…Younger children show more symptoms of hyperactivity, while adolescents display more impulsiveness, resulting in socially unacceptable behaviour and academic challenges (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; Barkley, 2014; Booster et al, 2012) as well as trouble with the legal system (Mordre et al, 2011). In addition, some studies (Mokobane, Pillay, & Meyer, 2020; Pila-Nemutandani et al, 2018) have found non-significant gender and age differences in neuropsychological functioning in children with ADHD.…”