Poster #6 - Neurocognitive Profiles of Gifted Children With and Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• In Event: 2-110 - Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Section - Attention, Learning, Memory

Integrative Statement

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic, heterogeneous neurobehavioral disorder, affecting approximately 5-10% of children worldwide (Faraone et al., 2003). The primary features of ADHD are difficulties sustaining attention/focus, poor organization, high levels of activity, and/or difficulties controlling impulsive behavior (APA, 2013). Executive functioning deficits are common in children with ADHD (Willcutt et al., 2005) and negatively affect functioning, particularly in academics. Gifted children represent 2-5% of the population depending on the definition/cut-off, and many gifted characteristics overlap the symptoms of ADHD (Harnett et al., 2004). The potential for the misdiagnosis of giftedness as ADHD has been well documented, as has the clinical diagnostic profile of individuals with both giftedness and ADHD (also termed twice-exceptional) (Mullet and Rinn, 2015; Reis et al., 2014). However, the neurocognitive profile of gifted children with ADHD has not been systematically investigated. This study was designed to examine the specificity of a broad set of executive functions in relation to ADHD in gifted children compared to gifted children without ADHD.

Subjects were gifted children with (11 boys, 6 girls; mean age 9.6± 1.4 years) and without ADHD (10 boys, 5 girls; mean age 9.3± 1.1 years), aged 8 to 16, recruited at outpatient child psychiatry clinics and private practice of psychologists. After a comprehensive clinical and psychological evaluation, subjects were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests assessing intelligence and executive functioning. The neurocognitive measures included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V), the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF), the California Verbal Learning Test for Children (CVLT-C), and The Conners Continuous Performance Test Third Edition (CPT-3). Between-group comparisons on neurocognitive variables were performed with an analysis of variance.

Results indicated that ADHD in gifted children was related to significantly lower performances on several neurocognitive measures, including the WISC-V working memory index, the WISC-V processing speed index, the ROCF copy and delay organization scores, the D-KEFS inhibition condition of the Color-Word Interference Test, the D-KEFS total achievement score of the Tower Test, CVLT-C Words Correct List A Short delay and CVLT-C Semantic Cluster Total. There was no significant difference between the two groups of gifted children on the measures of sustained attention (CPT-3), of cognitive flexibility (WCST, D-KEFS Verbal or Design Fluency Tests) and the WISC-V Verbal Comprehension Index, Visual Spatial Index and Fluid Reasoning Index.

In line with previous research of neurocognitive functions in children and adults with ADHD (Rommelse et al., 2016; Willcutt et al., 2005), these results show that gifted children with ADHD show a significantly impaired performance in the inhibition functions (Color-Word Interference Test), planning abilities (Tower Test), organizational aspects of memory (assessed with the ROCF and the CVLT-C), and working memory functions, when compared to the group of gifted children. Our results therefore indicate that gifted children with ADHD show a different and specific neurocognitive profile affecting some executive functions when compared to gifted children. Our data also adds support to the validity of ADHD diagnosis the gifted children population.

Authors

• Mathieu Pilon, Universite de Sherbrooke
  Presenting Author

• Marilyne Thériault, Clinique de psychologie et de neuropsychologie de Montreal
  Non-Presenting Author