| |
Abstract:
Abstract: This study was designed to test the integrity of
working memory in ADHD within the framework of Baddeley's model.
Participants were 8- to 14-year-old children with or without ADHD.
Verbal and spatial working memory were assessed by presenting
participants with 1-7 letters on one screen and another letter on a
second screen after 2-10 sec (Smith et al., 1996). Participants
pressed one of two buttons depending on whether the letter on the
second screen was the same (verbal condition) or in the same
location (spatial condition) as any of the letters on the first
screen. There were no group differences in accuracy and no
interaction between group and delay or memory load on either task.
Both groups were affected similarly by the addition of verbal and
spatial distractors during the delay. Central executive functioning
was assessed on a dual task (McDowell et al., 1997). Compared to
controls, ADHD children showed a trend toward a greater increase in
reaction time (RT) when performing concurrent digit span and simple
RT tasks than when performing the simple RT task alone. Together
with the results of a previous study (Karatekin & Asarnow,
1998), these findings suggest that ADHD children (1) do not have
generalized impairments in working memory, (2) rehearse verbal and
spatial information in the same manner as controls, (3) may have a
specific impairment in the central executive.
|
