Behavioral inhibition, self-regulation of motivation, and working memory in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

We examined 3 aspects of Barkley's (1997) recent model of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)-behavioral inhibition, self-regulation of motivation, and working memory utilizing 152 elementary school children ages 7 to 12. Seventy-six children with ADHD and 76 children without a psychiatric diagnosis completed the stop-signal task, a computerized Digit Span Task requiring concurrent storage and processing, and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test during a 1-hr testing session. Parent and teacher ratings were also obtained on the Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised: Long Version (Conners, 1997), and the Conners Teacher Rating Scale-Revised: Long Version (Conners, 1997), respectively. Results indicated that children with ADHD had deficits in inhibitory control, working memory, and short-term memory relative to children without the disorder. Contrary to our prediction, the groups did not differ in their responsiveness to external reinforcement. In addition, children with and without ADHD had similar self-perceptions of their performances during the experimental session. Future directions for specifying childhood difficulties in inhibitory control and memory processes are discussed.