Is Increased Response Time Variability Related to Deficient Emotional Self-Regulation in Children With ADHD?

Shereen Elmaghrabi, Maria Julia Nahmias, Nicoletta Adamo, Adriana Di Martino, Krishna Somandepalli, Varun Patel, Andrea McLaughlin, Virginia De Sanctis, Francisco X. Castellanos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: Elevated response time intrasubject variability (RT-ISV) characterizes ADHD. Deficient emotional self-regulation (DESR), defined by summating Child Behavior Checklist Anxious/Depressed, Aggressive, and Attention subscale scores, has been associated with worse outcome in ADHD. To determine if DESR is differentially associated with elevated RT-ISV, we examined RT-ISV in children with ADHD with and without DESR and in typically developing children (TDC). Method: We contrasted RT-ISV during a 6-min Eriksen Flanker Task in 31 children with ADHD without DESR, 34 with ADHD with DESR, and 65 TDC. Results: Regardless of DESR, children with ADHD showed significantly greater RT-ISV than TDC (p <.001). The ADHD subgroups, defined by presence or absence of DESR, did not differ from each other. Conclusion: Increased RT-ISV characterizes ADHD regardless of comorbid DESR. Alongside similar findings in children and adults with ADHD, these results suggest that RT-ISV is related to cognitive rather than emotional dysregulation in ADHD.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1045-1056
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Attention Disorders
Volume24
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2020

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

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