Time Perception Deficits in Children and Adolescents with ADHD: A Meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: Prior studies have reported time perception impairment in children and adolescents with ADHD but the results were inconsistent. Method: The current meta-analysis reviews 27 empirical studies published in English after year 2000 that compared time perception competence among children and adolescents with and without ADHD. Results: Results from 1620 participants with ADHD and 1249 healthy controls showed significant timing deficits in ADHD. Children/adolescents with ADHD perceived time less accurately (Hedges’ g > 0.40), less precisely (Hedges’ g = 0.66) and had higher tendency to overestimate time than their healthy counterparts. Moderator analyses indicated that the discrepancy of time perception between groups was not affected by the type of timing tasks nor the modality of stimuli used in the tasks. Nonetheless, results were moderated by age and gender. Conclusion: These findings may update current understanding of the underlying neuropsychological deficits in ADHD and provide insight for future research in clinical assessments and treatments for ADHD.

Auditory time thresholds in the range of milliseconds but not seconds are impaired in ADHD

“…A meta-analysis considering 27 studies on ADHD children and adolescents found a significant timing deficit in ADHD with impairments in both accuracy and precision and across visual and auditory stimuli 3 . Another recent meta-analysis considering 12 studies, despite generally confirming a time deficit in ADHD, suggested that there was a stronger effect size for tasks involving relatively long intervals (5 s) and for specific tasks such as estimation and reproduction 4 .…”

Auditory Time Thresholds for Subsecond but not Suprasecond Stimuli are Impaired in ADHD

“…A meta-analysis considering 27 studies on ADHD children and adolescents found a signi cant timing de cit in ADHD with impairments in both accuracy and precision and across visual and auditory stimuli [3]. Another recent meta-analysis considering 12 studies, despite generally con rming a time de cit in ADHD, suggested stronger effect size for tasks involving relatively long intervals (5s) and for speci c tasks such as estimation and reproduction [4].…”

Do Executive Dysfunction, Delay Aversion, and Time Perception Deficit Predict ADHD Symptoms and Early Academic Performance in Preschoolers

“…Time perception deficit refers to a compromised ability to perceive and represent time, which may affect the perception and sequential organization of events and actions, as well as the anticipation and prediction of future events (Toplak et al, 2006). A meta-analysis of 27 studies revealed that children with ADHD demonstrated impairment in time perception compared with their typically developing peers (Zheng et al, 2022). The time perception deficit in children with ADHD might be associated with the working memory deficit that is commonly Capano et al, 2008;Langberg et al, 2010;Mayes & Calhoun, 2007;Semrud-Clikeman et al, 1992).…”