Is Increased Response Time Variability Related to Deficient Emotional Self-Regulation in Children With ADHD?
Author Type(s)
Resident/Fellow
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
July 2018
Journal Title
Journal of Attention Disorders
Department
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
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.
Recommended Citation
Elmaghrabi, S., Nahmias, M., Adamo, N., Di Martino, A., Somandepalli, K., Patel, V., McLaughlin, A., De Sanctis, V., & Castellanos, F. (2018). Is Increased Response Time Variability Related to Deficient Emotional Self-Regulation in Children With ADHD?. Journal of Attention Disorders, 1087054718788950. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054718788950
