Intellectual deficits in children with ADHD beyond central executive and non-executive functions

• This study aimed to specify the deficit in intellectual ability in   children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), by   studying the mediating role of impairments in central executive   function (EF)-related components (working memory, inhibition, sustained   attention) and non-EFs (short-term memory and processing speed). Two   hundred and thirty children aged 8-11 years from a population-based   sample were assigned to either the ADHD group, the clinical comparison   group, or the normal comparison group. The results showed that children   with ADHD had poorer fluid and crystallized intelligence, relative to   both comparison groups. Further, regarding fluid intelligence, these   deficits were not fully mediated by, but rather went beyond, poorer   functioning on the studied EF-related components and non-EFs. We   tentatively interpret these fluid deficits in children with ADHD as   representing deficiencies in a general intellectual resource reflecting   executive attentional processes. Concerning crystallized ability, in   contrast, the deficit signified impairment in the studied cognitive   functions, as indicated by the significant full mediation effect.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

ADHD

Intelligence

Executive functions (EF)

Psychology

Psykologi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)