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Irwin, L. N. (L. N. ). (2018). Do Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Have Set Shifting Deficits? Retrieved from http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/2018_Su_Irwin_fsu_0071N_14697
Shifting, or cognitive flexibility, is a core executive function (EF) involving the ability to flexibly shift back and forth between tasks or mental sets (Miyake et al., 2012). Meta-analysis suggests that shifting may be impaired in ADHD (d = .46-.55; Willcutt et al., 2005). However, this conclusion may be premature because 100% of studies reviewed used shifting tasks that have been criticized for poor construct validity and may better reflect general EF rather than shifting specifically (Snyder et al., 2015). The aim of the current study was to examine set shifting in children with ADHD, using an experimental design that provided robust control for non-shifting processes involved in completing shifting tasks. It was hypothesized that shift costs would be significantly higher during a criterion shifting task relative to two counterbalanced control tasks that were identical except for the primary dependent variable (shifting). We further expected shift costs would be significantly larger in the ADHD group (i.e., ADHD-related impairments in shifting). The current study used the global-local task (Miyake et al., 2000) and two non-shifting control variants (global-global, local-local) to provide systematic examination of shifting in a well-characterized sample of children ages 8-13 with ADHD (n=43) and without ADHD (n=34). RT shift costs were calculated separately for each task by subtracting mean reaction times (RT) on no-shift trials from mean RT on shifting trials. Performance shift costs were calculated by subtracting number of errors on no-shift trials from number of errors on shift trials. Results of the 2x3 ANOVA for RT shift costs revealed that the experimental manipulation was successful (task main effect, p < .001, ω2 = .16), such that the global-local task elicited greater RT shift costs than did the control conditions. However, there was no evidence of shifting deficits in ADHD as demonstrated by a non-significant group main effect (p = .53, ω2 = -.01) and a non-significant interaction between task and group (p = .26, ω2 = .003). In contrast, the 2x3 ANOVA for performance shift costs revealed a significant group by task interaction (p = .01; ω2 = .04). Contrasts revealed that the ADHD group demonstrated significantly more errors than the Non-ADHD group, but only during the shifting task (p = .01; p = .04). Taken together, there was no significant evidence to suggest that ADHD is associated with set shifting deficits based on speed and that children with ADHD’s impaired performance on the criterion global-local set shifting task is attributable to difficulties in maintaining competing rule sets and/or inhibiting the currently active rule set prior to shifting to the competing rule. When these higher-order processes are executed successfully, there is no significant evidence to suggest a unique set shifting deficit in ADHD.
A Thesis submitted to the Department of Psychology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
Bibliography Note
Includes bibliographical references.
Advisory Committee
Michael J. Kofler, Professor Directing Thesis; Alexandria Meyer, Committee Member; Christopher Schatschneider, Committee Member.
Publisher
Florida State University
Identifier
2018_Su_Irwin_fsu_0071N_14697
Irwin, L. N. (L. N. ). (2018). Do Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Have Set Shifting Deficits? Retrieved from http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/2018_Su_Irwin_fsu_0071N_14697