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Evidence for increased behavioral control by punishment in children with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder
Author(s) -
Furukawa Emi,
Alsop Brent,
Sowerby Paula,
Jensen Stephanie,
Tripp Gail
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/jcpp.12635
Subject(s) - psychology , punishment (psychology) , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , developmental psychology , task (project management) , typically developing , clinical psychology , autism , management , economics
Background The behavioral sensitivity of children with ADHD to punishment has received limited theoretical and experimental attention. This study evaluated the effects of punishment on the response allocation of children with ADHD and typically developing children. Method Two hundred and ten children, 145 diagnosed with ADHD , completed an operant task in which they chose between playing two simultaneously available games. Reward was arranged symmetrically across the games under concurrent variable interval schedules. Asymmetric punishment schedules were superimposed; responses on one game were punished four times as often as responses on the other. Results Both groups allocated more of their responses to the less frequently punished alternative. Response bias increased significantly in the ADHD group during later trials, resulting in missed reward trials and reduced earnings. Conclusions Punishment exerted greater control over the response allocation of children with ADHD with increased time on task. Children with ADHD appear more sensitive to the cumulative effects of punishment than typically developing children.