Visual-motor attention in children with ADHD: The role of automatic and controlled processes

Abstract

Background: there are evidence that children with ADHD exhibit a deficit both in automatic and controlled processes.

Aims: the present study aimed to examine the visual-motor attention and the influence of cognitive load through a dual task paradigm in children with ADHD compared with typical developing children (TD).

Methods and procedures: 113 children with ADHD: 40 with subtype inattentive (ADHD- I group), 16 with subtype hyperactive (ADHD-H group), 57 with subtype combined (ADHD-C group), and 113 TD children (TD group) were recruited. We used a dual-task paradigm in which the primary task was a figure-tracing test whereas the second task was a digit span test. A figure-tracing test was used to evaluate visual motor attention. Based on the length and intersection of the lines, the figures of the primary task were categorized into simple and complex.

Outcomes and results: the ADHD groups compared to the TD group showed a worse accuracy of performance in both condition with and without cognitive load.

Conclusions and implications: The findings were discussed in light of the relationship between automatic and controlled processes involved in the visual-motor attention.

Keywords: ADHD; Automatic and controlled processes; Bottom-up and top-down processing; Simple and complex figures; Visual-motor attention.