title: Inhibitory control and delay aversion in unaffected preschoolers with a positive family history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  From current theories on the etiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it can be inferred that delay aversion (DA) and deficits in inhibitory control (IC) constitute basic deficits or endophenotypes of the disorder that already occur in the preschool period. This implies an occurrence of the characteristics in unaffected preschoolers with a positive family history of ADHD. Thus, it is hypothesized that preschoolers who are not affected by ADHD but who have first-degree relatives who suffer, or have suffered, from ADHD show deficits in IC and heightened DA in comparison to preschoolers from the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty unaffected preschoolers with a positive family history of ADHD were compared with 30 control children matched with respect to age in months, gender, intelligence, and maternal education level. The groups also did not differ in terms of maternal depressive symptoms and the number of psychosocial family risks. A set of age-appropriate neuropsychological tasks on executive IC (e.g. Puppet Says, Day-Night, relying on Go-NoGo and interference paradigms) and DA (e.g. Snack Delay, Gift Wrap, relying on delay of gratification paradigm) was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unaffected preschoolers showed significantly higher DA than control children (t(29) = -2.57, p < .008). The result did not change when subclinical ADHD symptoms and symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder were controlled for (F(1,29) = 5.21, p < .031). Differences in IC did not reach statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results are compatible with the assumption that DA constitutes a familial vulnerability marker that can be validly assessed in the preschool period. As this is the first study to address this issue in preschoolers, more research is needed to confirm and further analyze the significance of DA assessments specifically at this developmental stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pauli-Pott
authors.forename: Alisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roller
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heinzel-Gutenbrunner
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mingebach
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dalir
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D002666:Psychology, Child
keywords: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; cognitive control; hot and cool executive functions; response inhibition