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When is "impulsiveness" not impulsive? The case of hyperactive children's cognitive style
Summary
Hyperactive children responded faster but made more errors on a computerized Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT). This suggests impulse control issues in hyperactivity, even when response time isn't a factor.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Background:
- Hyperactivity is often associated with impulse control deficits.
- The Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT) is a tool used to assess cognitive impulsivity and reflectivity in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the performance of hyperactive children on computerized versions of the MFFT.
- To examine whether response speed or fixed trial length impacts error rates in hyperactive children.
Main Methods:
- Two computerized MFFT versions were administered to hyperactive and control children.
- Version 1: Trial length determined by response speed.
- Version 2: Fixed 45-second trial length.
Main Results:
- Hyperactive children responded faster but made more errors than controls on Version 1.
- On Version 2, both groups were equally reflective, yet hyperactive children still made more errors.
- Hyperactive children completed trials faster overall in Version 1.
Conclusions:
- Hyperactive children exhibit "impulsive" behavior on cognitive tasks, characterized by speed-accuracy trade-offs.
- Impulse control difficulties in hyperactivity persist even when trial duration is fixed, suggesting a core deficit beyond response inhibition alone.