title: Visuospatial working memory underlies choice-impulsivity in boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
abstract: The present study examined the directional relationship between choice-impulsivity and separate indices of phonological and visuospatial working memory performance in boys (aged 8-12 years) with (n=16) and without ADHD (n=19). Results indicated that high ratings of overall ADHD, inattention, and hyperactivity were significantly associated with increased impulsivity and poorer phonological and visuospatial working memory performance. Further, results from bias-corrected bootstrapped mediation analyses revealed a significant indirect effect of visuospatial working memory performance, through choice-impulsivity, on overall ADHD, inattention, and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Collectively, the findings suggest that deficits of visuospatial working memory underlie choice-impulsivity, which in turn contributes to the ADHD phenotype. Moreover, these findings are consistent with a growing body of literature that identifies working memory as a central neurocognitive deficit of ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray, Stillwater, OK 74078-3064, United States.
authors.forename: Connor H G
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Patros
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray, Stillwater, OK 74078-3064, United States. Electronic address: matt.alderson@okstate.edu.
authors.forename: R Matt
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Alderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray, Stillwater, OK 74078-3064, United States.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lea
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray, Stillwater, OK 74078-3064, United States.
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tarle
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray, Stillwater, OK 74078-3064, United States.
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Kasper
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray, Stillwater, OK 74078-3064, United States.
authors.forename: Kristen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hudec
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002755:Choice Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D065852:Spatial Memory; D065855:Spatial Processing
keywords: ADHD; Executive functions; Impulsivity; Working memory