Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: The role of delay aversion and attentional bias

Abstract

The literature review explores the nature of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), and discusses aetiologies, and theoretical models. The focus is upon motivational accounts such as delay aversion, in addition to cognitive deficits in the form of response inhibition. These come together in a Dual Pathway Model proposed by Sonuga-Barke (2001). Attentional bias toward threatening stimuli in anxiety disorders is also discussed. Literature on the impact of motivation and emotion on attentional processes in child psychopathologies is extrapolated to externalising disorders such as AD/HD. Delay aversion theory argues that delay cues in the environment are of motivational significance to AD/HD children.

The empirical study examines the evidence for delay aversion in boys clinically diagnosed with AD/HD. Their performance on a computerised choice-delay task is compared to that of boys with comorbid AD/HD and conduct disorder, boys with conduct disorder only, and normal controls. The study also compares their bias towards delay-related words and social and physical threat words in a modified selective attention paradigm. Results indicate no significant group differences on either task.

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