Deficit in response inhibition in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): impact of motivation?

To date, neuropsychological and psycho-physiological studies have revealed inconsistent results regarding an executive or motivational deficit explaining the response inhibition deficit in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Research on differentiating neuropsychological processes in ADHD subtypes is still scarce. Therefore, the motivational impact on response inhibition among boys with ADHD was examined in this study.

Interpersonal coping among boys with ADHD.

Objective: The authors investigate self-reported coping with interpersonal stressors among boys with and without ADHD in two studies and provide initial evidence for effects of different subgroups of ADHD on coping in Study 2.

Method: In Study 1, 20 Austrian adolescents with ADHD were compared to 20 healthy controls. In Study 2, 44 German children and adolescents with ADHD (35 without and 9 with conduct disorders) were compared to 44 healthy controls matched by age and grade level, respectively.

[Coping and quality of life among children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder].

First studies suggest an impaired emotion regulation especially with negative emotions among children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which particularly emerged in the subgroup with comorbid conduct disorder. Moreover, first results have shown that quality of life of children and adolescents with ADHD are negatively affected compared to healthy controls. The present study examined differences in age and subgroup on coping and quality of life among boys with ADHD.

[Behavioural inhibition and emotion regulation among boys with ADHD during a go-/nogo-task].

Current literature suggests an executive and/or motivational deficit to explain the deficit in behavioural inhibition of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, results of neuropsychological and psycho-physiological studies are inconsistent (Nigg 2001). Although in his earlier work in 1997 Barkley postulated an association between behavioural inhibition and emotion regulation, this subject has been widely neglected so far.

[Gender and developmental effects on perceived stress, coping, somatic symptoms and psychological disorders among children and adolescents].

The aim of this one-year longitudinal study was to investigate gender and developmental effects on perceived stress related to interpersonal stressors, coping strategies, somatic symptoms and psychological disorders. Additionally, associations of perceived stress and coping styles at the first assessment with psychological problems at the second measurement were examined. In total, N = 169 Austrian children and adolescents (ages 10 to 13 years) participated in this self-report study.