Executive function impairments in high IQ adults with ADHD.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that high IQ adults diagnosed with ADHD suffer from executive function (EF) impairments that: a) can be identified with a combination of standardized measures and self-report data; and b) occur more commonly in this group than in the general population.


METHODS
157 ADHD adults with IQ >/= 120 were assessed with 8 normed measures of EF- 3 index scores from standardized tests of memory and cognitive abilities, and 5 subscales of a normed self-report measure of EF impairments in daily life.


RESULTS
73% of subjects were significantly impaired on >/= 5 of these 8 EF markers. On all 8 measures, incidence of these impairments was significantly greater than in the general population.


CONCLUSIONS
High IQ adults with ADHD tend to suffer EF impairments that can be assessed with these measures; incidence of such impairments in this group is significantly higher than in the general population.
Brown
Thomas E
TE
Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders, New Haven, CT, USA.
Reichel
Philipp C
PC
Quinlan
Donald M
DM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D032882:Comprehension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011930:Reaction Time; D012016:Reference Values; D014888:Wechsler Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult