Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

8-1-2009

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric diagnosis in childhood that requires a level of attention or hyperactivity that falls short of the expected developmental level. Past research shows cognitive discrepancies in ADHD populations with verbal deficiencies observed primarily in tasks that require a combined auditory and verbal component. Working memory has been a long acknowledged deficit in persons with ADHD. This research examines cognitive differences among children with ADHD on working memory and other components of the Stanford Binet, 5th edition (SB5). Stanford Binet verbal and nonverbal working memory was hypothesized to be different for the ADHD sample compared to controls and between ADHD subtypes. Participants were gathered from the Stanford Binet standardization sample that were diagnosed with ADHD and matched with a group of normal controls. Data was analyzed using ANOVA followed by a cluster analysis of discrepancies found at subtest and testlet levels. Due to matching and statistical control, results showed no differences in FSIQ, VIQ, or PIQ between normals and those with ADHD, but those with ADHD took an average of 20 minutes longer to complete the SB5, consistently showed greater response variability, and exhibited significant differential item functioning for Vocabulary, Object Series/Matrices, and the routing scales. Deficits in working memory appear to account for these differences.

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