Response Execution and Inhibition in Children with AD/HD and Other Disruptive Disorders: The Role of Behavioural Activation

Abstract

This study was aimed at (a) replicating findings of slow and variable response execution and slow response inhibition in Attention Deficit\Hyperactivity Disorder (AD\HD), (b) investigating whether these deficits are specifically related to AD\HD or may also be observed in Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and children comorbid for AD\HDjODD, and (c) examining the role of activation level in task performance of children with AD\HD. To meet these aims, the stop paradigm was administered at three levels of activation, using a slow, medium, and fast presentation rate of stimuli, to 4 groups of children : 24 AD\HD children, 21 children with ODD, 27 children with comorbid AD\HDjODD, and 41 normal controls. As hypothesized, children with AD\HD exhibited a slow response execution process with considerable variability in the speed of responding compared to normal controls. Slow response execution was also observed in the comorbid AD\HDjODD group but not in the pure ODD group. Larger variability in the speed of responding was common to all disruptive groups compared with controls. In contrast to our hypothesis, no group differences emerged for inhibitory functioning. Finally, the slow event rate condition caused a further deterioration in the speed of the response execution process in both the AD\HD group and ODD group.

Wait For It! A Twin Study of Inhibitory Control in Early Childhood

“…In fact, in at least one meta-analysis, children with conduct disorder (CD) display similar levels of IC deficits as those with ADHD, or those co-morbid for ADHD and CD (Oosterlaan et al 1998). In addition, similar decrements in IC were observed in children with co-morbid ADHD and ODD in one other study (Scheres et al 2001). …”

Response-Time Variability Is Related to Parent Ratings of Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Executive Function

“…This divergence from our past experience (Scheres et al, 2001; Di Martino et al, 2008) might be due to using a shorter version of the task (3 min versus 15-18 min). Since the EFT was always administered at the end of the test session, we cannot determine whether the brevity of this version of the task or the presentation order accounted for our negative EFT results in this sample.…”

“…The last task administered consisted of an arrow version of the Eriksen Flanker task (EFT) (Scheres et al, 2001) lasting three min. Target stimuli were arrows pointing to the right or to the left, presented at the center of the screen.…”

Perceptual and motor inhibition in adolescents/young adults with childhood-diagnosed ADHD.

“…Children with ADHD might not have response inhibition deficits per se, but may be unable to modulate their energetic state (i.e., levels of arousal and activation) according to task and situational demands, and be easily under- or overactivated resulting in poor response inhibition and impaired motor processing. Extensive research supports this hypothesis (Banaschewski, et al, 2004; Scheres, Oosterlaan, & Sergeant, 2001; Sergeant, et al, 1999; Sergeant & Van der Meere, 1994; van der Meere, 1996). While a state regulation model would predict a pattern of diffuse, nonspecific impairments and as such the findings are consistent with that model, these data certainly do not prove it.…”