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Suboptimal decision making and interpersonal problems in ADHD: longitudinal evidence from a laboratory task.
L Sørensen1, S Adolfsdottir2,3, E Kvadsheim4
1Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Jonas Liesvei 91, 5009, Bergen, Norway. Lin.Sorensen@uib.no.
Scientific Reports
|March 20, 2024
Summary
Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) show persistent suboptimal decision-making. This trait, particularly delay aversion, longitudinally predicts greater social problems in adolescents with ADHD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Over 50% of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience social and interpersonal difficulties.
- Suboptimal decision-making, characterized by an inability to adapt choices based on risk, is hypothesized to contribute to social challenges in ADHD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To longitudinally assess decision-making in children with ADHD over four years.
- To determine if suboptimal decision-making predicts social problems in youth with ADHD.
Main Methods:
- The Cambridge Gambling Task was used to measure decision-making in children with ADHD and a typically developing control group.
- Longitudinal data collection occurred over four years, with assessments at baseline and follow-up.
Main Results:
- Suboptimal decision-making was confirmed as a stable trait in children and adolescents with ADHD.
- Delay aversion, a key component of suboptimal decision-making, predicted greater parent-reported social problems longitudinally, despite not differing between groups at follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest that impulsivity in social interactions among youth with ADHD may stem from a motivational deficit.
- Decision-making abilities and their link to social functioning are crucial areas for understanding and supporting children with ADHD.
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