ABSTRACT

Variability in working memory (WM) task selection likely contributes to heterogeneity in effect size estimates of deficiencies in youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This has resulted in the development of brief, easy to administer assessments such as the NIH List Sorting Working Memory (LSWM) task from the NIH Cognitive Toolbox in hopes of standardizing measurement of this construct. Unfortunately, substantial questions persist regarding the specific constructs being evaluated by this task (e.g., visuospatial [VS] or phonological [PH] WM) as well as the ability of this task to detect WM deficits in previously identified impaired groups (e.g., ADHD). The current study examines the extent to which the LSWM task is associated with VS and PHWM performance as well as symptoms of ADHD. Additionally, we examined the magnitude of differences between ADHD and Typically Developing (TD) youth on this task relative to empirically derived WM tasks utilized in the past. Forty-six children (25 ADHD, 21 TD) completed multiple WM tasks. The LSWM task was moderately associated with PHWM and demonstrated relatively weaker associations with VSWM. Symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were unrelated to the LSWM task; whereas tasks assessing PH and VSWM were moderately associated with inattention and weakly associated with hyperactivity (VSWM only). No significant between-group differences in performance emerged on the LSWM task; however, significant large-magnitude group differences were observed on both the PH and VSWM tasks. These findings suggest that the LSWM task may lack the ability to detect WM difficulties in youth with ADHD.

摘要

工作记忆（WM）任务选择的可变性可能会导致注意力缺陷/多动症（ADHD）青年的缺陷效应大小估计的异质性。这导致了简短，易于管理的评估的发展，例如NIH认知工具箱中的NIH列表排序工作记忆（LSWM）任务，希望对该结构的测量进行标准化。不幸的是，关于此任务正在评估的特定结构（例如视觉空间[VS]或语音[PH] WM）以及该任务检测先前确定的受损人群中WM缺陷的能力（例如，ADHD），仍然存在实质性问题。当前的研究检查了LSWM任务与VS和PHWM性能以及ADHD症状相关的程度。另外，与过去使用经验得出的WM任务相比，我们研究了ADHD与典型发展中（TD）青年之间在此任务上的差异程度。46个孩子（25个ADHD，21 TD）完成了多个WM任务。LSWM任务与PHWM具有中等程度的关联，并且与VSWM的关联相对较弱。注意力不集中和多动/冲动的症状与LSWM任务无关。而评估PH和VSWM的任务则与注意力不集中相关，而与多动症的关联较弱（仅VSWM）。LSWM任务在组之间没有显着的性能差异。但是，在PH和VSWM任务上都观察到了大幅度的群体差异。这些发现表明，LSWM任务可能缺乏检测多动症青年中WM困难的能力。