Hector I Lopez-Vergara1, Craig R Colder. 1. 219 Park Hall, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA. hilopez2@buffalo.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Motivation and executive functioning are central to the etiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that motivation should show specificity of association with ADHD-impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms, whereas executive functioning should show specificity of association with ADHD-inattention symptoms. This study tests this specificity-hypothesis and extends previous research by conceptualizing motivation to include both reactivity to reward and punishment. METHODS: Executive functioning was assessed using two different laboratory measures (the Wisconsin-Card-Sort and Stop-Signal Tasks) and motivation was measured using a laboratory measure of sensitivity to reward and punishment (the Point-Scoring-Reaction-Time Task). RESULTS: Findings suggested specificity of association between executive functioning and symptoms of inattention, and between motivation and symptoms of impulsivity/hyperactivity. However, support varied across indices of executive functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide support for multiple component models of ADHD symptoms and extend the literature by providing a theoretically based conceptualization of motivation grounded on developmental neuroscience models of motivated behavior.
OBJECTIVE: Motivation and executive functioning are central to the etiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that motivation should show specificity of association with ADHD-impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms, whereas executive functioning should show specificity of association with ADHD-inattention symptoms. This study tests this specificity-hypothesis and extends previous research by conceptualizing motivation to include both reactivity to reward and punishment. METHODS: Executive functioning was assessed using two different laboratory measures (the Wisconsin-Card-Sort and Stop-Signal Tasks) and motivation was measured using a laboratory measure of sensitivity to reward and punishment (the Point-Scoring-Reaction-Time Task). RESULTS: Findings suggested specificity of association between executive functioning and symptoms of inattention, and between motivation and symptoms of impulsivity/hyperactivity. However, support varied across indices of executive functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide support for multiple component models of ADHD symptoms and extend the literature by providing a theoretically based conceptualization of motivation grounded on developmental neuroscience models of motivated behavior.
Authors: Michael M Plichta; Nenad Vasic; Robert Christian Wolf; Klaus-Peter Lesch; Dagmar Brummer; Christian Jacob; Andreas J Fallgatter; Georg Grön Journal: Biol Psychiatry Date: 2008-08-21 Impact factor: 13.382
Authors: Espen Borgå Johansen; Peter R Killeen; Vivienne A Russell; Gail Tripp; Jeff R Wickens; Rosemary Tannock; Jonathan Williams; Terje Sagvolden Journal: Behav Brain Funct Date: 2009-02-18 Impact factor: 3.759