Math Error Types and Correlates in Adolescents with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Agnese Capodieci,Rhonda Martinussen

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01801

Agnese Capodieci, Rhonda Martinussen

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01801

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Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the types of errors made by youth with and without a parent-reported diagnosis of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on a math fluency task and investigate the association between error types and youths’ performance on measures of processing speed and working memory.Method: Participants included 30 adolescents with ADHD and 39 typically developing peers between 14 and 17 years old matched in age and IQ. All youth completed standardized measures of math calculation and fluency as well as two tests of working memory and processing speed. Math fluency error patterns were examined.Results: Adolescents with ADHD showed less proficient math fluency despite having similar math calculation scores as their peers. Group differences were also observed in error types with youth with ADHD making more switch errors than their peers.Conclusion: This research has important clinical applications for the assessment and intervention on math ability in students with ADHD.

Highlights

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) which are associated with difficulties in a wide range of academic skills including mathematical computation and problem-solving, reading and language comprehension, and written expression (Bonafina et al, 2000; DuPaul et al, 2004; Hart et al, 2010; Gremillion and Martel, 2012)
We focused in this study on youth who were not perceived to have a concurrent math disability in basic computation skills according to the performance on the Woodcock Johnson Test of Achievement- Third Edition (WJ-III) Math Calculation subtest
There were no statistically significant differences in the math error types we found that the effect size for the number of switch errors was moderate in size (U = 467, p = 0.063, η2 = 0.40) with the ADHD group making more switch errors that the typically developing comparison group

Summary

Introduction

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) which are associated with difficulties in a wide range of academic skills including mathematical computation and problem-solving, reading and language comprehension, and written expression (Bonafina et al, 2000; DuPaul et al, 2004; Hart et al, 2010; Gremillion and Martel, 2012). Tosto et al (2015) reviewed studies investigating math ability in individuals with ADHD who were between the ages of 6 years old and adulthood. Math appears to be an area of challenge for a number of individuals with ADHD (Tosto et al, 2015). They found that 83% of the studies they reviewed reported a statistically significant negative association between ADHD symptoms and mathematical performance. Studies from Tosto’s review highlighted the presence of weaknesses in math fluency and math calculation in children and youth with ADHD. Understanding why children and youth with ADHD show weaknesses in math fluency and calculation is an

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