Koltermann G, Becker N, Lopes-Silva JB, Gomides MRDA, Paiva GM, Haase VG, de Salles JF. Are "cool" executive function impairments more salient in ADHD symptoms than in reading disability?
Dement Neuropsychol 2020;
14:47-55. [PMID:
32206198 PMCID:
PMC7077861 DOI:
10.1590/1980-57642020dn14-010008]
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Abstract
Introduction:
Reading disability (RD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
symptoms often co-occur in school-age children.
Methods:
The present study evaluated the performance of 216 Brazilian children from
3rd and 4th grades on “cool” executive function
(EF) abilities and phonological processing. The children were divided into
three groups: those with ADHD symptoms only, those with RD only, and
controls.
Results:
MANOVA analyses, controlling for age and nonverbal intelligence, showed worse
performance for the RD group, compared to the ADHD symptoms group, on
measures of phonological processing (phonemic awareness, phonological
short-term memory, and lexical access) and “cool” EF components
(orthographic verbal fluency and processing speed). The ADHD symptoms group
did not differ from the control group on the majority of the “cool” EF
tasks. Compared to the control group, the ADHD symptoms group and the RD
group both showed significantly more errors in rapid automatized naming of
figures, which evaluates the inhibition component of EF; performance on this
task was similar for these groups.
Conclusion:
We conclude that children with RD have greater impairment in phonological
processing and “cool” EF compared to those with ADHD symptoms. Furthermore,
deficits in inhibitory control may be shared among children with both
conditions.
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