Executive Dysfunctions in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

One hundred and twenty-four male children ranging in age from seven to 12 years-old were selected. The sample was divided into two groups: (1) sixty-two with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children; and (2) sixty-two normal matched controls (N-ADHD). Three tests were individually administered: (1) Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST); (2) Verbal fluency and semantics (animals and fruits); and, (3) Picture Arrangement subtest of the WISC-R. For all the test scores, statistically significant differences were found between both ADHD and N-ADHD groups. Two separate factor analyses were performed, using the normal and ADHD groups. Four factors were found for the N-ADHD group, which accounted for 85.7% of the variance. The factor structure presented some similarities in both groups: Factor 2, 3 and 4 in the control group corresponded to factors 1, 2 and 3 in the ADHD group. Nonetheless, in the ADHD group Factor 1 (Abstraction and Flexibility Factor) was absent. Results are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis of executive dysfunction in children with ADHD.

Prevalence Estimations of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Differential Diagnoses and Comorbidities in a Colombian Sample

“…Only when tasks represent complex problems that require voluntary and programmed behavior with internal control (executive function) will children with ADHD fail. The question is that not all executive standard tests are really problems for all children (Pineda et al, 1999e;Pineda et al, 1998;Westby & Cutler, 1994). Using a standard questionnaire for ADHD conduct (Chang & Chuang, 2000), a screening ADHD prevalence of 14.1% in adolescents from high schools was found.…”

Focusing attention to deep structure in math problems: Effects on elementary education students with and without attentional deficits

“…In prior research, this measure had been sensitive to differences between students with and without ADHD specifically on the subtests of trials to criterion, number of categories identified, errors, and conceptual level responses (e.g., Boucugnani & Jones, 1989;Pineda et al, 1998). Replicating past research, this sample of students with attentional deficits required more trials to criterion (i.e., referring to Total Number Correct on the WCST) than did the comparisons.…”

“…The WCST provides a measure of sorting and problem solving activity. In addition to good reliability (range r=.91-.96; Axelrod & Henry, 1992), this test has been shown to differentiate between students with ADHD and typical students in problem solving, learning, visual spatial, and categorization abilities (Boucugnani & Jones, 1989;Chelune, Ferguson, Koon, & Dickey, 1986;Pineda et al, 1998). The WCST was given after the experiment so that it would not confound the effects of the conditions and would provide an assessment of generality of the conditions.…”

“…These measures have been used in the past to demonstrate problem solving, abstract thinking, attention, and categorization abilities (e.g., Pineda et al, 1998).…”

Mental Genesis of Scripts in Adolescents With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

“…The task is clearly not selectively affected by frontal lobe lesions (Warrington, James, & Maciejewski, 1986), although to be honest, virtually no such test exists. Nevertheless, the Picture Arrangement subtest of the WISC has indeed been found to be sensitive to ADHD (Pineda et al, 1998). Even fathers of ADHD children seem to have low performance on this subtest (Casey, Cohen, Schuerholz, Singer, & Denckla, 2000).…”