Duration-specific time perception impairments in adolescents with ADHD: links to executive function and symptom...

Difficulties in temporal processing (TP) are frequently reported in individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), yet adolescents remain underexamined despite their critical role in executive maturation. This study investigated whether adolescents with ADHD exhibit domain-specific TP impairments and whether executive functions (EF) and ADHD symptom dimensions predict temporal performance. Fifty-four adolescents aged 12-18 years (27 ADHD, 27 controls) completed a Duration Discrimination Task, a Time Reproduction Task (1000-5000 ms), and a 53-second Time Estimation Task. EF was assessed via the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale-Children and Adolescents (BDEFS-CA), and ADHD symptoms through the SNAP-IV. Adolescents with ADHD showed selective impairments in time reproduction, consistently under-reproducing 1000, 3000, 4000, and 5000 ms intervals compared to controls (p = .048-.001), whereas performance on the 2000 ms interval, discrimination thresholds, and the Time Estimation Task did not differ significantly between groups. Regression analyses indicated that higher executive dysfunction was significantly associated with elevated discrimination thresholds in the 100 ms task, even after accounting for covariates (p < .05). Furthermore, regardless of group or demographics, attention problems appeared to be linked with a tendency to underestimate durations in the 53-second task. These findings suggest that temporal processing deficits in ADHD may not be monolithic, but rather closely intertwined with specific attentional and executive control mechanisms. Consequently, the study underscores the potential value of incorporating temporal monitoring and organizational strategies into clinical interventions to better support the developmental trajectory of adolescents with ADHD.