Adults with adhd symptoms express a better inhibitory capacity when the perceptual load is higher

Abstract

IntroductionADHD is associated with impairments in different inhibitory functions, including suppression of an already initiated response and inhibition of distracting information. This work used a protocol that combines the Stroop-matched and stop-signal tasks to examine the association between the frequency of ADHD symptoms and different inhibitory abilities in a young adult.ObjectivesTo investigate how the symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity / impulsivity are associated with three forms of inhibition evaluated by the Stroop-matched / stop-signal task: inhibiting an automatic response, controlling interference and canceling a response.Methods38 participants (33 women; mean age = 23.3; SD = 5.17) completed Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) assessing ADHD symptoms before performing the task. Reaction times, accuracy and stop-signal reaction time (SSRT; the latency of the inhibitory process of response cancellation) were calculated for each task condition.ResultsThere was a significant correlation of ADHD symptoms and SSRT in the condition with the higher perceptual load (i.e., a greater number of colors presented in the same test). This correlation was negative (r = - .36, p <.05), which indicates that participants with higher ADHD symptoms frequency had more efficient inhibitory processes in this condition.Conclusions(1) the perceptual load of the task influences the cancellation of responses; (2) individuals with higher frequency of ADHD symptoms may have a better inhibitory capacity when the perceptual load is high, possibly reflecting a lower availability of attentional resources to process distracting information.DisclosureNo significant relationships.