Implementation Intentions Facilitate Response Inhibition in Children with ADHD

Abstract

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with action control problems such as failure to inhibit inappropriate responses. Two studies investigated whether self-regulation by implementation intentions (if-then plans; Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54, 493-503) facilitates response inhibition in children with ADHD. In Study 1, children with ADHD who furnished a suppression goal with implementation intentions improved inhibition of an unwanted response on a Go/NoGo task to the same level observed in children without ADHD. Study 2 showed that a combination of implementation intentions and psychostimulant medication resulted in the highest level of suppression performance in children with ADHD. Theoretical and applied implications of these results are discussed.

If-Then Plans Benefit Executive Functions in Children with ADHD

“…The second study compared the performance of ADHD children with and without psychostimulant medication: a combination of if-then plans and medication resulted in the highest level of inhibition performance in children with ADHD. Again, replicating the findings of Study 1, children with ADHD showed a superior inhibition performance when having made an if-then plan as compared to merely forming a goal intention even without any medication (Gawrilow & Gollwitzer, 2008). Finally, a recent study showed that the beneficial effects of if-then plans in children with ADHD also pertain to delay of gratification, a performance that rests on effective motivation control (Gawrilow, Gollwitzer, & Oettingen, in press).…”

“…Therefore, both studies represent not only a replication but also an extension of previous studies observing the beneficial if-then plan effect on tasks assessing the executive function deficit of reduced inhibition (Gawrilow & Gollwitzer, 2008) and motivation control deficit of reduced delay of gratification (Gawrilow et al, in press). …”

“…Whenever executive functions are challenged by a task at hand, if-then plans can be used to restructure the task by specifying critical stimuli and appropriate responses in advance, thus facilitating successful task performance. Second, the studies showed again that populations suffering from self-regulation deficits benefit much from ifthen plans (Gawrilow & Gollwitzer, 2008;Paul et al, 2007). Clinical groups analyzed so far (e.g., patients with frontal lesions) are all known to have self-regulatory deficits and thus benefit from forming implementation intentions as this self-regulation strategy apparently compensates for executive dysfunctions.…”

“…Apparently, the strategic automaticity produced by if-then plans (i.e., switching from topdown control of action to bottom-up directed stimulus control) minimizes the demands of these tasks on executive functioning and thus improves performance. Moreover, studies showing that if-then plans promote goal realization particularly when difficult to attain goals are at stake suggest that if-then plans turn effortful goal striving into automated goal striving (Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006) (Gawrilow & Gollwitzer, 2008;Paul et al, 2007). This task required participants to both classify stimuli that were presented on a computer screen by pressing a particular computer key, as well as inhibit classification in response to a NoGo signal.…”

“…Moreover, making if-then plans helped children with ADHD on a Go/NoGo task (Gawrilow & Gollwitzer, 2008;Paul et al, 2007). This task required participants to both classify stimuli that were presented on a computer screen by pressing a particular computer key, as well as inhibit classification in response to a NoGo signal.…”