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WISC-III freedom from distractibility as a measure of attention in children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Abstract
WISC-III data were analyzed in clinical samples of 87 children with ADHD and 32 children without ADHD. Mean FSIQ (Full Scale IQ) exceeded FDI (Freedom from Distractibility Index) at all ages from 6 to 16 years in the ADHD group but not in the nonADHD group. Further, the discrepancy between FSIQ and FDI was significantly greater in the ADHD group. The four lowest mean subtest scores for the ADHD group were Digit Span, Arithmetic, Coding, and Symbol Search, which was not the case for the nonADHD group. For significantly more children with ADHD (87%), the score for FDI plus the Processing Speed Index was less than the sum of the two remaining Index scores (VCI+POI). No children without ADHD had Digit Span and Arithmetic as two of their three lowest subtest scores, whereas this was found for 23% of children with ADHD. The presence of mood, behavior, or learning disorders affected scores in some cases. An independent replication study involving 52 referred children with ADHD and 23 without ADHD supported these findings.
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Studies have found that WISC-III profiles also have some diagnostic utility in ADHD children.
“Studies have found that such profiles also have some diagnostic utility in ADHD children (Mayes & Calhoun, 2004; Mayes et al., 1998; Prifitera & Dersh, 1993; Swartz et al., 1998).”
From WISC-III Cognitive Profiles in Children with ADHD: Specific Cognitive Impairments and Diagnostic Utility (2019) · cites this paper as Mayes et al., 1998
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Metadata
- Authors
- Dickerson Mayes, S., Calhoun, S. L., & Crowell, E. W.
- Affiliations
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- ORCID
- Calhoun, S.L.
- Venue
- Journal of Attention Disorders
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1998-11
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 217-227
- ISSN
- 1087-0547 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-1246
- OpenAlex
- W2003408683
- Cited by
- 65
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Attention Disorders (publishedVersion)
- 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, WISC-III, attention, children, IQ discrepancy, processing speed, digit span, arithmetic, coding, symbol search, mood disorders, behavior disorders, learning disabilities, referred children
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