Poster #5 - Inhibitory Control is Associated With On-task Classroom Behaviour in Children With High Symptoms of ADHD.

• In Event: 3-003 - Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Section - Attention, Learning, Memory

Integrative Statement

Cognitive impairments in sustained attention and inhibitory control are considered to underpin many of the behavioural symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Most research on the association between cognition and behaviour, however, has relied on behaviour ratings of ADHD symptoms, rather than direct observation, raising questions around informant bias. Twenty-two children (mean age 9.6 years) identified by their teachers as displaying high ADHD symptoms in the classroom, and 22 matched controls (mean age 9.8 years) completed cognitive measures of sustained attention and response inhibition, the Fixed and Random Sustained Attention to Response Tasks (SART). Their on-task classroom behaviour was assessed during four 10-minute periods using the ASEBA Direct Observation Form (DOF). ADHD symptoms were also assessed using the Conner’s 3 Short Form and the SWAN, completed by teachers and parents. Results indicated children with high symptoms of ADHD spent significantly less time on-task in the classroom than controls. They performed the SARTs with significantly more errors of commission, indicating poorer inhibitory control, and were more variable with their responding. They were also observed to show significantly higher levels of behavioural inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity in the classroom. On the repetitive Fixed SART, there was no correlation between the performance measures and time spent on-task in the classroom. On the Fixed SART there was a significant correlation between Teacher SWAN scores and the number of commission errors made, and between Parent SWAN scores and the number of omission errors, a measure of sustained attention. On the more arousing Random SART, there was a significant correlation between time spent on-task and the number of commission and omission errors and the moment-to-moment variability in responding. There was a significant correlation between the number of commission errors and both the Teacher and Parent SWAN reports. These findings provide evidence of a link between the cognitive measures of inhibitory control (commission errors) and ADHD behavioural symptoms (Teacher and Parent rated SWAN, on-task DOF) in a community sample. The Parent ratings on the SWAN were sensitive to the cognitive measure of inattention (omission errors) particularly. The findings also provide evidence of the ecological validity of the SART as a measure of cognitive processes that are associated with the behavioural manifestations of ADHD.

Authors

• Katherine A Johnson, University of Melbourne
  Presenting Author

• Maximilian White, University of Melbourne
  Non-Presenting Author

• Carolina Poh Sum Wong, University of Melbourne
  Non-Presenting Author

• Cherée Murrihy, University of Melbourne
  Non-Presenting Author