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- Title
Impaired working memory in ADHD: deficit or delay?
- Authors
Sowerby, Paula; Seal, Simon; Alsop, Brent; Tripp, Gail
- Abstract
Objective: To further define the nature of working memory (WM) impairments in children with combined-type attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Children with ADHD (n = 40) and an age and gender-matched control group completed two measures each of visuo-spatial and verbal WM. The effects of age and learning/language difficulties on performance were evaluated. Results: Children with ADHD obtained significantly lower scores than controls on measures of both visuo-spatial and verbal WM. The impairments in verbal WM were age related. Removal of children with comorbid learning/language difficulties and their matched controls reduced group differences, but did not fully account for the WM deficits. Conclusions: Children with ADHD exhibit impaired visuo-spatial WM performance. Younger (less than 8 years), but not older, children with ADHD demonstrate impairments in verbal WM. This latter result may explain the previously reported inconsistent performance of children with ADHD on measures of verbal WM. The importance of taking a developmental perspective in working memory research is stressed.
- Publication
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2010, Vol 19, pS66
- ISSN
1018-8827
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00787-010-0117-5