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Negation Processing in Children with ADHD: The Generic Problem of Using Negation in Instructions
Carolin Dudschig1, Barbara Kaup2, Jennifer Svaldi2
1Department of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Schleichstr. 4, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. carolin.dudschig@uni-tuebingen.de.
Journal of Psycholinguistic Research
|August 10, 2021
Summary
Processing negation in instructions, like "not left," causes delays for all children. This effect is more pronounced in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), suggesting negation impacts inhibitory control.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Negation comprehension is linked to inhibitory brain systems essential for impulse control.
- Understanding negation's role in language processing, particularly in children, is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of negation in directional instructions on children with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
- To explore the relationship between negation processing and inhibitory control in different child populations.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study comparing response times to negative versus affirmative directional instructions.
- Inclusion of a control group and a group of children diagnosed with ADHD.
Main Results:
- Children generally exhibit longer response delays to negative instructions compared to affirmative ones.
- A trend indicated that this response delay was more significant in the ADHD group.
Conclusions:
- Negation processing appears to engage inhibitory control mechanisms.
- The findings suggest that using negation in instructions can be problematic, especially for clinical populations like those with ADHD.
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