Cited by 105Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderDevelopmental and Educational NeuropsychologyChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Heterogeneity in development of aspects of working memory predicts longitudinal attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom change.

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Karalunas, Sarah L., Gustafsson, Hanna C., Dieckmann, Nathan F., Tipsord, Jessica, Mitchell, Suzanne H., Nigg, Joel T.·2017·Journal of Abnormal Psychology

Abstract

The role of cognitive mechanisms in the clinical course of neurodevelopmental disorders is poorly understood. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is emblematic in that numerous alterations in cognitive development are apparent, yet how they relate to changes in symptom expression with age is unclear. To resolve the role of cognitive mechanisms in ADHD, a developmental perspective that takes into account expected within-group heterogeneity is needed. METHOD: The current study uses an accelerated longitudinal design and latent trajectory growth mixture models in a sample of children ages 7-13 years carefully characterized as with (n = 437) and without (n = 297) ADHD to (a) identify heterogeneous developmental trajectories for response inhibition, visual spatial working memory maintenance, and delayed reward discounting and (b) to assess the relationships between these cognitive trajectories and ADHD symptom change. RESULTS: Best-fitting models indicated multiple trajectory classes in both the ADHD and typically developing samples, as well as distinct relationships between each cognitive process and ADHD symptom change. Developmental change in response inhibition and delayed reward discounting were unrelated to ADHD symptom change, while individual differences in the rate of visual spatial working memory maintenance improvement predicted symptom remission in ADHD. CONCLUSION: Characterizing heterogeneity in cognitive development will be crucial for clarifying mechanisms of symptom persistence and recovery. Results here suggest working memory maintenance may be uniquely related to ADHD symptom improvement. (PsycINFO Database Record

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  • Together, these findings suggest that only a small minority of children with ADHD have impairments in both working memory and inhibitory control, and thus appear to support models conceptualizing them as relatively independent impairments in ADHD.

    “Together, these findings suggest that only a small minority of children with ADHD have impairments in both working memory and inhibitory control, and thus appear to support models conceptualizing them as relatively independent impairments in ADHD.”

    From Working memory and inhibitory control deficits in children with ADHD: an experimental evaluation of competing model predictions (2024) · cites this paper as [74]

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  • Most longitudinal studies have linked improvements in working memory, or executive functioning more generally, with remission of ADHD symptoms.

    “For example, most longitudinal studies have linked improvements in working memory, or executive functioning more generally, with remission of ADHD symptoms (e.g., 74).”

    From Working memory and inhibitory control deficits in children with ADHD: an experimental evaluation of competing model predictions (2024) · cites this paper as [74]

    In the section labeled Abstract > Conclusion (page unavailable), the paper describes the longitudinal evidence as mixed and says several major prospective studies found no association between changes in verbal working memory or attention and ADHD symptom change. It reports a positive association for global executive functioning in one study and for visual working memory in a subgroup of its own sample, but does not support the claim that most longitudinal studies found such a link. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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  • Working memory deficits in ADHD have been found to covary with ADHD behavioral symptoms in longitudinal and experimental studies.

    “Working memory deficits are present in the majority of children with ADHD and have been shown to covary longitudinally and experimentally with ADHD behavioral symptoms (e.g., Karalunas et al., 2017; Kofler et al., 2018).”

    From Working memory and short-term memory deficits in ADHD: A bifactor modeling approach (2020) · cites this paper as Karalunas et al., 2017

    The Results (Within-group Heterogeneity in Neurocognitive Development; page not supplied) report visual working-memory impairment at age 7 in two ADHD groups totaling 85% of the sample. The Discussion reports that development of visual working memory was related to improvement in inattention symptoms over time. This supports longitudinal covariation, but the paper does not report an experimental test of that relationship. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • Combined with longitudinal and experimental evidence, the evidence base implicates working memory as a core mechanism involved, at least in part, in the phenotypic expression of ADHD behavioral symptoms.

    “Combined with longitudinal and experimental evidence (e.g., Karalunas et al., 2017; Rapport et al., 2009; Patros et al., 2017), the evidence base at this time implicates working memory as a core mechanism that is involved, at least in part, in the phenotypic expression of ADHD behavioral symptoms.”

    From Working memory and short-term memory deficits in ADHD: A bifactor modeling approach (2020) · cites this paper as Karalunas et al., 2017

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports that development of visual-spatial working memory was associated with improvement in inattention symptoms in children, supporting a longitudinal link. It does not establish working memory as a core mechanism for ADHD behavioral symptoms generally: the association with hyperactivity-impulsivity was not statistically significant, and the Conclusion says working memory maintenance may be related to symptom improvement. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • This validity evidence includes experimental and longitudinal linkages between executive function performance tests and objective and subjective measures of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, emotion recognition, reading skills, math performance, social skills, organizational skills, parent-child relationship quality, and activities of daily living.

    “This concurrent and predictive validity evidence includes experimental and longitudinal linkages between EF performance tests, objective and subjective measures of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, emotion recognition, reading skills, math performance, social skills, organizational skills, parent-child relationship quality, and activities of daily living (Karalunas et al., 2017; Wells et al”

    From Assessment of executive functions in school-aged children: A narrative review (2022) · cites this paper as Karalunas et al., 2017

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports a longitudinal link between visual working-memory performance and parent- and teacher-reported inattention in children, supporting that part of the cited claim. It says changes in response inhibition and delayed reward valuation were unrelated to ADHD symptom changes, and it does not establish the claimed links to emotion recognition, academic or social skills, organization, parent-child relationships, or daily living. (LLM, conf=0.90)

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. Allison PD 2002 Missing data: Quantitative applications in the social sciences British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology 55 1 193 196
  2. Bollen KA Curran PJ 2006 Latent curve models: A structural equation perspective Hoboken, NJ Wiley
  3. DuPaul G Power T Anastopoulos A Reid R 1998 ADHD Rating Scale—IV: Checklists, Norms, and Clinical Interpretation NY, NY Guilford Press
  4. Figner B Mackinlay R Wilkening F Weber E 2009 Risky choice in children, adolescents, and adults: Affective versus deliberative processes and the role of executive functions Proceedings of the society for research in child development, Denver, CO, USA
  5. Kane MJ Conway A Hambrick DZ Engle RW 2007 Variation in working memory capacity as variation in executive attention and control Conway, Andrew R (pp. A.; Jarrold, Christopher; Kane, Michael J.; Miyake, Akira; Towse, J. (2007) Variation in working memory 2021 2046 New York, NY, US Oxford University Press xix, 2321)
  6. Logan G 1994 On the ability to inhibit thought and action: A users' guide to the stop signal paradigm Dagenbach D Carr TH Inhibitory processes in attention, memory, and language 189 239 San Diego, CA Academic Press

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Authors
Karalunas, S. L., Gustafsson, H. C., Dieckmann, N. F., Tipsord, J., Mitchell, S. H., & Nigg, J. T.
Affiliations
Oregon Health & Science University (US)
Venue
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Published
2017-08
Volume
126
Issue
6
Pages
774-792
ISSN
  • 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1846
OpenAlex
W2742297264
Cited by
104
References
97
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 1
FWCI
7.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R37 MH059105, K23 MH108656)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, working memory maintenance, visuospatial working memory, response inhibition, delay discounting, symptom remission, symptom change, within-group heterogeneity, children, developmental trajectories
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Analysis of Variance, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Inhibition, Psychological, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Neuropsychological Tests, Reward, Space Perception, Case-Control Studies

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