Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Working Memory in Clinically Referred Adults

Abstract

A current theory of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) implicates a dysfunction in working memory as a significant factor in ADHD. The Working Memory Indexes of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Third Edition (WAIS-III; The Psychological Corporation, 1997a) and the Wechsler Memory Scale--Third Edition (WMS-III; The Psychological Corp -oration, 1997b) were used to evaluate this theory. Seventy adults clinically diagnosed with ADHD (mean age = 25) and who were previously administered the WAIS-III and WMS-III were reviewed to determine the association between working memory and ADHD symptomology. The respondent was asked to estimate the frequency of occurrence of ADHD symptoms by completing the Brown ADD Scales (Brown, 1996). Results indicated no significant relationship between working memory and self-reported symptoms, although the Working Memory Indexes of the WAIS-III and the WMS-III were significantly correlated. Implications for current ADHD theory and suggestions for future research were discussed.

A comparison of laboratory and clinical working memory tests and their prediction of fluid intelligence

“…Difficulty level is determined by the amount of information that has to be held in memory in order to successfully complete the problem. This task does place demands on the WM system; however, other factors likely contribute to accuracy on this task, such as mathematical efficiency (Stearns, Dunham, McIntosh, & Dean, 2004). Math anxiety has also been linked to impaired performance on WM tasks that contain a mathematical element, such as computation span (Ashcraft & Kirk, 2001).…”

“…For example, Stearns et al (2004) investigated the relationship between WM and ADHD in adults using the WM Indices from the WAIS-III and the WMS-III. The results did not reveal significant correlations between WM and self-reported ADHD symptoms despite the fact that WM impairment is commonly observed in the disorder.…”

Modality-Specific Working Memory Systems Verified by Clinical Working Memory Tests

“…On the other hand, existing studies have found arithmetic subtest requires diverse cognitive processes such as attention/concentration, verbal comprehension, and mathematical skills as well as WM. 25,27) It also has the lowest factor loading among clinical WM constructs.…”

WAIS-III index score profiles in the Canadian standardization sample

“…Although it might seem like the Canadian norms might be most appropriate and beneficial for use in Canada, the lack of research using these norms tend to make clinicians wary about adopting them. To date, there is a growing body of research that provides data relating to WAIS-III performance in clinical and healthy populations using the American norms (e.g., Axelrod, Dingell, Ryan, & Ward, 2000;Blyer, Gold, Iannone, & Buchanan, 2000;Bowler, Gysens, & Hartney, 2003;Dickinson & Coursey, 2002;Donders, Tulsky, & Zhu, 2001a;Langeluddecke & Lucas, 2003;Martin et al, 2002;Ryan, Arb, Paul, & Kreiner, 2000;Ryan, Lopez, & Werth, 1999;Stearns, Dunham, McIntosh, & Dean, 2004;The Psychological Corporation, 1997;Townsend, Malla, & Norman, 2001). However, few studies are available that present data using the Canadian normative system.…”