Delay discounting of reward in ADHD: application in young children
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: A key underlying process that may contribute to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) involves alterations in reward evaluation, including assessing the relative value of immediate over delayed rewards. This study examines whether children with ADHD discount the value of delayed rewards to a greater degree than typically developing children using a delay discounting task. METHODS: Children aged 7-9 years diagnosed with ADHD and controls completed a task in which they chose between a hypothetical $10 available after a delay (7, 30, 90 and 180 days) versus various amounts available immediately. RESULTS: ADHD participants discounted more steeply than controls. However, this effect did not survive covarying of IQ. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD is associated with a steeper delay gradient when contemplating hypothetical later rewards, but not independently of IQ. The interplay of cognitive processing and IQ with reward evaluation in ADHD requires further exploration.
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After controlling for age, a trend-level difference in ln(k) was identified (F(1,87)=3.812, p=0.054), with ADHD more impulsive than controls.
“After controlling for age a trend level difference was identified (F(1,87) = 3.812, p = 0.054), and was consistent with prior reports (Sagvolden et al., 1998, Wilson et al., 2011), with ADHD more impulsive than controls.”
From Characterizing heterogeneity in children with and without ADHD based on reward system connectivity (2015) · cites this paper as Wilson et al., 2011
Children with ADHD have a steeper discounting gradient than typically developing children, as recently reported by our group, although in that study it was modulated by IQ.
“Children with ADHD are hypothesized to have a steeper discounting gradient than typically developing children (Sagvolden et al., 2005), which was recently reported by our group (although in that study, modulated by IQ) (Wilson et al., 2011).”
From Reward circuit connectivity relates to delay discounting in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (2013) · cites this paper as Wilson et al., 2011
Children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD discount delayed reinforcers at higher rates than healthy controls.
“Studies have shown that children (Scheres et al., 2010; Wilson et al., 2011), adolescents (Barkley et al., 2001; Scheres et al., 2010) and adults (Hurst et al., 2011; Scheres et al., 2008) with ADHD discount delayed reinforcers at higher rates than healthy controls.”
From Excessive discounting of delayed reinforcers as a trans-disease process contributing to addiction and other disease-related vulnerabilities: Emerging evidence (2012) · cites this paper as Wilson et al., 2011
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- Authors
- Wilson, V. B., Mitchell, S. H., Musser, E. D., Schmitt, C. F., & Nigg, J. T.
- Affiliations
- Oregon Health & Science University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-11-17
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 256-264
- ISSN
- 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-7610
- PMC
- PMC3059765
- OpenAlex
- W1950587681
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 5.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH59105, R37MH059105, R01MH059105)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (R03DA024195, DA024195)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, delay discounting, reward evaluation, delayed rewards, young children, IQ, impulsivity, decision-making
- MeSH terms
- Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Child Development, Female, Humans, Intelligence, Male, Mental Processes, Reward, Task Performance and Analysis, Time Factors
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