Executive Functioning and Activity in Children: a Multimethod Examination of Working Memory, Inhibition, and Hyperactivity.

Executive Functioning and Activity in Children: a Multimethod Examination of Working Memory, Inhibition, and Hyperactivity. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2020 Jun 17;: Authors: Smith JN, Raiker JS, Fosco WD, Jusko ML, Campez M, Little K, Mattfeld A, Espinal K, Sanchez G, Merrill B, Musser ED, Gnagy E, Greiner A, Coles E, Pelham WE Abstract Two primary methods of quantifying executive functioning include self- or other-reports (i.e., questionnaire-based EF) and cognitive test performance (i.e., task-based EF). Despite their lack of concordance with one another and relatively inconsistent associations with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, both approaches have been utilized in attempts to advance our understanding of the role of EF in symptoms of ADHD. The current study is the first to incorporate a direct assessment of behavior (i.e., actigraphy) to further clarify the relation between EF and hyperactivity using a multi-method approach in a sample of children with a range of ADHD symptoms. Fifty-two children between the ages of 8 and 12 completed a testing session during which performance on working memory and inhibition computerized tasks, as well as actigraphy data, were collected. Additionally, parent reports of hyperactivity/impulsivity, working memory, and inhibition were obtained. As expected, questionnaire-based measures of working memory and inhibition were strongly associated with parent-reported hyperactivi...
Source: Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: J Abnorm Child Psychol Source Type: research