[Visual-spatial functions and organisation of grapho-motor actions in ADHD children]

The aim of the study was to test whether children with a diagnosis of ADHD at the age of 7-16 years have deficits in visual-spatial, visual memory, planning, and organisation of the visual-motor functions.

The study included 186 unrelated patients aged 7-16 years diagnosed with ADHD. The control group consisted of 156 healthy individuals aged 7-16 years. The methods applied were the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF) and Matching (MFFT).

The number of errors in the MFFT was significantly different between healthy combined subtype. There were no differences between inattentive and healthy children. In the Rey-Osterieth Complex Figure test, statistically significant differences were found between the control group and a group of combined ADHD in the number of points obtained when drawing back and reproduction from memory. In the latter index were also differences between ADHD inattentive children and the combined subtype. Children with ADHD obtained statistically significant different results than healthy children in the drawing category (which were treated as an indicator of the executive functions of planning) but only in reproduction from memory. Quality of the copy does not differentiate the groups.

ROCF and MFFT are useful measures of visual-spatial function and visual memory of children with ADHD. They have less relevance in the assessment of executive functions. Visual-spatial disorders were found only in children with ADHD combined subtype.