Pl. Hazell et al., Effortful and automatic information processing in boys with ADHD and specific learning disorders, J CHILD PSY, 40(2), 1999, pp. 275-286
Citations number
40
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry
Journal title
JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES
Boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, N = 50), Specific
Learning Disorder (LD, N = 45), combined Specific Learning Disorder and AD
HD (LD/ADHD, N = 25), and controls (N = 51) completed effortful and automat
ic information processing tasks based on Treisman and Gelade's (1980) "info
rmation integration theory". ADHD and LD/ADHD subjects did not differ from
controls at baseline or under feedback and reward conditions, suggesting th
at they were investing similar levels of mental effort in the tasks. The LD
group had a superior performance in the effortful task and an inferior per
formance in the automatic task compared with the other groups at baseline.
The data suggest a potential method of distinguishing primary LD from learn
ing difficulties that occur secondary to ADHD.