Relationship between reaction time variability and motor skill development in ADHD
Open accessAbstract
Slower and more variable reaction times to computerized tasks have been documented in children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recent research supports a role for attentional lapses in generating abnormally variable and slow responses. However, given the association between ADHD and impairments in motor control, we hypothesized that slower or more variable reaction times might also correlate with motor development. The aim of this case-control study was to explore the relationship between motor function, reaction speed and variability, and ADHD. After comprehensive educational and clinical assessments, motor skill development was evaluated in 35 children ages 9 to 14 (19 with ADHD) using the Physical and Neurological Examination for Subtle Signs (PANESS) test battery. Finger-sequencing speed and variability were quantified with goniometers. Reaction times were measured with 20 trials each of computerized simple and choice (binary) tasks. Compared to healthy controls, children with ADHD had slower and more variable reaction times, and these findings correlated with impaired motor development (PANESS) and slow and variable finger sequencing (goniometers). Further studies of motor development in ADHD may identify factors influencing speed and variability of reaction times.
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RTV has been associated with poorer academic performance, motor development, and motor timing in children with ADHD.
“RTV likewise has been associated with poorer academic performance (64), motor development (65), and motor timing (21, 66) in children with ADHD.”
From Differential effects of a single dose of Lisdexamfetamine and Guanfacine on cognitive function in children with ADHD (2025) · cites this paper as [65]
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Reaction Time Variability in ADHD: A Review
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El Masri, S., Kowalczyk, O. S., Chiu, T. H., Criaud, M., Lukito, S., Mazibuko, N., Salazar de Pablo, G., Perez Rodriguez, V., Makos, O., Lam, S.-L., et al. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1676472
- Authors
- Klotz, J. M., Johnson, M. D., Wu, S. W., Isaacs, K. M., & Gilbert, D. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Cincinnati (US)
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Gilbert, Donald L.
- Venue
- Child Neuropsychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2011-11-24
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 576-585
- ISSN
- 0929-7049 (ISSN-L)
- 1744-4136
- PMC
- PMC3461120
- OpenAlex
- W1986769655
- Cited by
- 46
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 1.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Child Neuropsychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH078160, R01 MH08185)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (T35DK060444)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS056276, R01NS056276)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, reaction time variability, reaction time, motor skill development, motor control, children, attentional lapses
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Age Factors, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Motor Skills, Neuropsychological Tests, Reaction Time, Multivariate Analysis, Case-Control Studies
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