The diagnostic utility of executive function assessments in the identification of ADHD in children

Joni Holmes; Susan Gathercole; Maurice Place; Tracy Alloway; Julian Elliott; Kerry Hilton

doi:10.1111/j.1475-3588.2009.00536.x

The diagnostic utility of executive function assessments in the identification of ADHD in children

Joni Holmes, Susan Gathercole, Maurice Place, Tracy Alloway, Julian Elliott, Kerry Hilton

Northumbria University

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

75 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Deficits in executive functions have been widely reported to characterise individuals with ADHD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of a range of executive function measures for identifying children with ADHD. Method: Eighty-three children with ADHD and 50 normally-developing children without ADHD were assessed on measures of inhibition, set-shifting, planning, problem-solving, response inhibition, sustained attention and working memory. Measures of sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and diagnostic odds ratios were calculated. Results: Executive function tasks effectively discriminated between children with and without ADHD. Measures of response inhibition and working memory contributed the most to the discriminant function. Conclusions: Cognitive measures of executive function can be used to help identify children with ADHD and could be useful as additional diagnostic tools for clinical practitioners.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	37-43
Journal	Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Volume	15
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-3588.2009.00536.x
Publication status	Published - Jan 2010

Keywords

ADHD
working memory
executive function
diagnosis

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10.1111/j.1475-3588.2009.00536.x

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abstract = "Deficits in executive functions have been widely reported to characterise individuals with ADHD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of a range of executive function measures for identifying children with ADHD. Method: Eighty-three children with ADHD and 50 normally-developing children without ADHD were assessed on measures of inhibition, set-shifting, planning, problem-solving, response inhibition, sustained attention and working memory. Measures of sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and diagnostic odds ratios were calculated. Results: Executive function tasks effectively discriminated between children with and without ADHD. Measures of response inhibition and working memory contributed the most to the discriminant function. Conclusions: Cognitive measures of executive function can be used to help identify children with ADHD and could be useful as additional diagnostic tools for clinical practitioners.",

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AU - Gathercole, Susan

AU - Place, Maurice

AU - Alloway, Tracy

AU - Elliott, Julian

AU - Hilton, Kerry

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N2 - Deficits in executive functions have been widely reported to characterise individuals with ADHD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of a range of executive function measures for identifying children with ADHD. Method: Eighty-three children with ADHD and 50 normally-developing children without ADHD were assessed on measures of inhibition, set-shifting, planning, problem-solving, response inhibition, sustained attention and working memory. Measures of sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and diagnostic odds ratios were calculated. Results: Executive function tasks effectively discriminated between children with and without ADHD. Measures of response inhibition and working memory contributed the most to the discriminant function. Conclusions: Cognitive measures of executive function can be used to help identify children with ADHD and could be useful as additional diagnostic tools for clinical practitioners.

AB - Deficits in executive functions have been widely reported to characterise individuals with ADHD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of a range of executive function measures for identifying children with ADHD. Method: Eighty-three children with ADHD and 50 normally-developing children without ADHD were assessed on measures of inhibition, set-shifting, planning, problem-solving, response inhibition, sustained attention and working memory. Measures of sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and diagnostic odds ratios were calculated. Results: Executive function tasks effectively discriminated between children with and without ADHD. Measures of response inhibition and working memory contributed the most to the discriminant function. Conclusions: Cognitive measures of executive function can be used to help identify children with ADHD and could be useful as additional diagnostic tools for clinical practitioners.

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JO - Child and Adolescent Mental Health

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The diagnostic utility of executive function assessments in the identification of ADHD in children

Abstract

Keywords

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