Process examination of executive function in ADHD: sex and subtype effects

Clin Neuropsychol. 2008 Sep;22(5):826-41. doi: 10.1080/13854040701563583. Epub 2008 Mar 10.

Abstract

To examine effects of group (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD] versus Typically Developing [TD]), sex, and ADHD subtype on "process/optional" measures of executive functioning, children (n = 123; 54 ADHD, 69 TD) aged 8-16 completed subtests from the D-KEFS. No group, sex, or ADHD subtype effects were found on optional measures from the Trail Making, Color-Word Interference, and Tower tests. A significant interaction was found for Verbal Fluency Total Repetition Errors; boys with Combined/Hyperactive-Impulsive (ADHD-C/HI) type ADHD performed better than ADHD-C/HI girls, whereas girls with Inattentive type ADHD (ADHD-I) performed better than ADHD-I boys. Overall, children with ADHD did not differ from TD on most optional measures from the D-KEFS. When sex and ADHD subtype were considered, children with the subtype of ADHD less common for sex were at greater risk for poorer performance.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnosis*
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / physiopathology
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology*
  • Child
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intelligence Tests / statistics & numerical data
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neuropsychological Tests / statistics & numerical data*
  • Problem Solving / physiology
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychometrics / methods
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Trail Making Test / statistics & numerical data
  • Verbal Behavior / physiology
  • Verbal Learning / physiology