Discrimination of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by the continuous performance test.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the Continuous Performance Test in discriminating a group of 56 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children from 56 school children individually matched for age, sex and social class.


METHODS
The children all completed the Continuous Performance Task (CPT). The mothers and teachers completed a Conners Parent-Teacher Rating Scale for the clinic children.


RESULTS
The ADHD sample was selected so that the average IQ was 99.8 to match the school sample. A non-parametric discriminant function showed that the subtests of the CPT that best discriminated ADHD were age-normalized errors of commission (NCPTC) and age-normalized mean reaction time (NMNRT).


CONCLUSIONS
Optimal use of the CPT for discrimination of ADHD should include age normalization and mean reaction time to targets. Further evoked potential studies may show brief cortical events involved in reaction time over the course of the CPT, and the processes involved in behavioural control.
Levy
F
F
Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Australia.
Hobbes
G
G
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D012923:Social Class