Are there executive dysfunction subtypes within ADHD?

Bethan A. Roberts; Michelle M. Martel; Joel T. Nigg

doi:10.1177/1087054713510349

Are there executive dysfunction subtypes within ADHD?

Bethan A. Roberts
, Michelle M. Martel
, Joel T. Nigg

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

104 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: Children with ADHD have heterogeneous behavioral and neuropsychological profiles. The aim of this study was to examine the possible utility of executive function (EF) subtypes within ADHD. Method: Participants were 357 children aged 6 through 13 with a diagnosis of ADHD. Children completed a brief laboratory battery measuring EF, including response inhibition, response variability, speed, and set-shifting. Children also completed standardized intelligence and achievement testing. Results: Two-way cluster analysis of EF profiles of children with ADHD produced a three-cluster solution, labeled poor inhibitory control, poor set-shifting/speed, and intact task performance. Clusters significantly differed in measures of intelligence, academic achievement, and other disruptive behavior and anxiety/mood symptoms. Conclusion: These findings further support the idea that children with ADHD have heterogeneous EF profiles and suggest that the theory of ADHD should consider these individual differences in EF profiles within the ADHD diagnostic category.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	284-293
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Attention Disorders
Volume	21
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054713510349
State	Published - Feb 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2013.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by NIH National Institute of Mental Health Grant R01-MH63146, MH59105, and MH70542 to Joel T. Nigg.

Funders	Funder number
National Institute of Mental Health	R01-MH63146, MH70542, R37MH059105

Keywords

ADHD
Academic performance
Children
Executive function
Subtypes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Developmental and Educational Psychology
Clinical Psychology

Access to Document

10.1177/1087054713510349

Cite this

@article{2563a99479a640d887275f0a17527720,

title = "Are there executive dysfunction subtypes within ADHD?",

abstract = "Objective: Children with ADHD have heterogeneous behavioral and neuropsychological profiles. The aim of this study was to examine the possible utility of executive function (EF) subtypes within ADHD. Method: Participants were 357 children aged 6 through 13 with a diagnosis of ADHD. Children completed a brief laboratory battery measuring EF, including response inhibition, response variability, speed, and set-shifting. Children also completed standardized intelligence and achievement testing. Results: Two-way cluster analysis of EF profiles of children with ADHD produced a three-cluster solution, labeled poor inhibitory control, poor set-shifting/speed, and intact task performance. Clusters significantly differed in measures of intelligence, academic achievement, and other disruptive behavior and anxiety/mood symptoms. Conclusion: These findings further support the idea that children with ADHD have heterogeneous EF profiles and suggest that the theory of ADHD should consider these individual differences in EF profiles within the ADHD diagnostic category.",

keywords = "ADHD, Academic performance, Children, Executive function, Subtypes",

author = "Roberts, \{Bethan A.\} and Martel, \{Michelle M.\} and Nigg, \{Joel T.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2013.",

year = "2017",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1177/1087054713510349",

language = "English",

volume = "21",