Deciphering interference control in adults with ADHD by using distribution analyses and electromyographic activity
Abstract
A deficit in "interference control" is commonly found in adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This has mainly been interpreted as difficulties in inhibiting inappropriate responses. However, interference control involves processes other than simply the ability to inhibit. Consequently, we used sophisticated analysis to decipher the additional processes of interference control in these patients. We compared interference control between 16 adults with ADHD and 15 control adults performing a Simon task. In most studies, performance is generally reported in terms of mean error rates and reaction times (RTs). However, here we used distribution analyses of behavioral data, complemented by analyses of electromyographic (EMG) activity. This allowed us to better quantify the control of interference, specifically the part that remains hidden when pure correct trials are not distinguished from partial errors. Partial errors correspond to sub-threshold EMG bursts induced by incorrect responses that immediately precede a correct response. Moreover, besides "online" control, we also investigated cognitive control effects manifesting across consecutive trials. The main findings were that adults with ADHD were slower and showed a larger interference effect in comparison to controls. However, the data revealed that the larger interference effect was due neither to higher impulse expression, nor to a deficit in inhibition but that these patients presented a larger inter…
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Empirical evidence for impaired inhibitory control in ADHD remains mixed.
“However, empirical evidence for impaired inhibitory control in ADHD remains mixed9–17.”
From Delayed goal-directed processing underlies inhibitory control challenges in adult ADHD (2026) · cites this paper as [12]
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“ADHD has been described as a disorder of executive functioning by several authors (Barkley, 1997; Sergeant et al., 2002) and the predominant theories of neurocognitive deficit associated with ADHD more”
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Neuropsychological Performance Patterns of Adult ADHD Subtypes
LeRoy, A., Jacova, C., & Young, C. (2019) · Journal of Attention Disorders · doi:10.1177/1087054718773927 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Delayed goal-directed processing underlies inhibitory control challenges in adult ADHD
Osborne, J. B., Sellers, J., Zhang, H., Wang, S., Liberatore, S., Sripada, C., Shah, P., & Jonides, J. (2026) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-026-42307-3 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
- Authors
- Suarez, I., Burle, B., Tobon, C., Pineda, D., Lopera, F., Hasbroucq, T., & Casini, L.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Universidad de Antioquia (CO)
- Corresponding author
- Casini, L.
- Venue
- Acta Psychologica
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-07
- Volume
- 159
- Pages
- 85-92
- ISSN
- 0001-6918 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W582644381
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 0.74
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Psychologica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL AMU (submittedVersion)
- Repositorio Digital - Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France)
- Aix-Marseille Université
- European Research Council (241077)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, interference control, Simon task, distribution analysis, muscle electrical activity, inhibition, sustained attention, reaction time, adult ADHD
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Female, Humans, Inhibition, Psychological, Male, Psychomotor Performance, Reaction Time, Young Adult, Executive Function
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