TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of incentives on visual-spatial working memory in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
AU - Shiels, Keri
AU - Hawk, Larry W.
AU - Lysczek, Cynthia L.
AU - Tannock, Rosemary
AU - Pelham, William E.
AU - Spencer, Sarah V.
AU - Gangloff, Brian P.
AU - Waschbusch, Daniel A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments We thank Mark Kutgowski for programming the task and Rebecca Ashare for providing feedback on drafts of the manuscript. This research was supported by grant MH069434 from the National Institute of Mental Health.
PY - 2008/8
Y1 - 2008/8
N2 - Working memory is one of several putative core neurocognitive processes in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present work seeks to determine whether visual-spatial working memory is sensitive to motivational incentives, a laboratory analogue of behavioral treatment. Participants were 21 children (ages 7-10) with a diagnosis of ADHD-combined type. Participants completed a computerized spatial span task designed to assess storage of visual-spatial information (forward span) and manipulation of the stored information (backward span). The spatial span task was completed twice on the same day, once with a performance-based incentive (trial-wise feedback and points redeemable for prizes) and once without incentives. Participants performed significantly better on the backward span when rewarded for correct responses, compared to the no incentive condition. However, incentives had no effect on performance during the forward span. These findings may suggest the use of motivational incentives improved manipulation, but not storage, of visual-spatial information among children with ADHD. Possible explanations for the differential incentive effects are discussed, including the possibility that incentives prevented a vigilance decrement as task difficulty and time on task increased.
AB - Working memory is one of several putative core neurocognitive processes in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present work seeks to determine whether visual-spatial working memory is sensitive to motivational incentives, a laboratory analogue of behavioral treatment. Participants were 21 children (ages 7-10) with a diagnosis of ADHD-combined type. Participants completed a computerized spatial span task designed to assess storage of visual-spatial information (forward span) and manipulation of the stored information (backward span). The spatial span task was completed twice on the same day, once with a performance-based incentive (trial-wise feedback and points redeemable for prizes) and once without incentives. Participants performed significantly better on the backward span when rewarded for correct responses, compared to the no incentive condition. However, incentives had no effect on performance during the forward span. These findings may suggest the use of motivational incentives improved manipulation, but not storage, of visual-spatial information among children with ADHD. Possible explanations for the differential incentive effects are discussed, including the possibility that incentives prevented a vigilance decrement as task difficulty and time on task increased.
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U2 - 10.1007/s10802-008-9221-0
DO - 10.1007/s10802-008-9221-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 18288603
AN - SCOPUS:47549101883
SN - 0091-0627
VL - 36
SP - 903
EP - 913
JO - Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
JF - Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
IS - 6
ER -
