TITLE:
Response Inhibition, Categorization, and Set-Shifting in College Students with ADHD Symptoms
AUTHORS:
Anne M. Murtagh, Anthony Elworthy
KEYWORDS:
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, Executive Functions, Cognitive Inhibition, Cognitive Flexibility
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.5 No.7,
May
14,
2014
ABSTRACT: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) in college students is not well researched nor well understood,
but is likely to present special challenges to academic performance. Individuals
with ADHD symptoms have sometimes been found to show deficits in executive
functioning, including response inhibition, categorization and set-shifting
abilities. However, the relationship between these abilities and ADHD symptoms
in college students remains unclear. In the present study, the response inhibition,
categorization and set-shifting abilities of college students with low (n = 15), moderate (n = 15), and high (n =
16) self-reported ADHD symptoms were compared. No overall group differences
were found. It thus appears that in these important executive functions,
college students with high self-reported levels of ADHD symptoms are not more
impaired, as compared to those with fewer symptoms. Possibly, the group
comparisons obscured a subset of students whose cognitive inhibition,
categorization and set-shifting abilities are affected. Other limitations,
including the use of self-report and the relatively low sample size, are
discussed.