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The Diagnostic Utility of Executive Function Assessments in the Identification of ADHD in Children
Author(s) -
Holmes Joni,
Gathercole Susan E.,
Place Maurice,
Alloway Tracy P.,
Elliott Julian G.,
Hilton Kerry A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
child and adolescent mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1475-3588
pISSN - 1475-357X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-3588.2009.00536.x
Subject(s) - working memory , executive functions , discriminant function analysis , psychology , cognition , set (abstract data type) , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , machine learning , computer science , programming language
Background: 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.