Working memory function in attention deficit hyperactivity disordered and reading disabled children

The aim of the current study was to examine the nature of executive process ing in working memory as a core deficit in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as distinct from deficits associated with reading disabilit y (RD). This involved examination of the working memory processes of the ph onological loop and central executive (Baddeley, 1986) as a potential means of differentiating ADHD from RD. The participants were 16 ADHD/RD, 16 RD a nd 16 normal control children, matched for sex, age and IQ, who performed t asks tapping phonological loop function, a combination of phonological loop and central executive functioning, and tasks relying on central executive functioning. Analysis revealed that a's the involvement of the central exec utive in tasks increased, ADHD/RD children performed worse than the other g roups. This was on measures of controlled information processing, modifying and accommodating new input and supervisory capacity. These findings refle ct the potential utility of the central executive in working memory in unde rstanding the nature of executive processing deficits in ADHD. They also su pport the efficacy of these tasks in discriminating ADHD from RD.