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. 2009 Jun;27(Pt 2):365-83.
doi: 10.1348/026151008X314919.

Assessing inattention and impulsivity in children during the Go/NoGo task

Serena Bezdjian  1 , Laura A Baker, Dora Isabel Lozano, Adrian Raine
Affiliations

Assessing inattention and impulsivity in children during the Go/NoGo task

Serena Bezdjian et al. Br J Dev Psychol. 2009 Jun.

Abstract

Behavioural performance in the Go/NoGo task was compared with caregiver and teacher reports of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity in 1,151 children (N = 557 boys; N = 594 girls) age 9- 10-years-old. Errors of commission (NoGo errors) were significantly correlated with symptom counts of hyperactivity-impulsivity, while errors of omission (Go errors) were significantly correlated with symptom counts for inattention in both caregiver and teacher reports. Cross-correlations were also evident, however, such that errors of commission were related to inattention symptoms, and errors of omission were related to hyperactivity-impulsivity. Moreover, hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention symptoms were highly intercorrelated in both caregiver (r = .52) and teacher reports (r = .70), while errors of commission and omission were virtually uncorrelated in the Go/NoGo task (r = .06). The results highlight the difficulty in disentangling hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention in questionnaires, and suggest that these constructs may be more clearly distinguished in laboratory measures such as the Go/NoGo task.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Note: Illustrates ADHD group performance for each Go/NoGo behavioural measure (standardized) in males. (b) Note: Illustrates ADHD group performance for each Go/NoGo behavioural measure (standardized) in females.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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