The study was mainly concerned with looking into the neurophysiological and to some extent the behavioral measures utilized in self regulation particularly in children suffering from attention–deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and those who are developing. Moreover, the measures were assessed basing on the cognitive task that ensured alternation occurred across the reward and no-reward conditions.
The study utilized several hypotheses. Firstly, it denoted that children suffering from ADHD will have an increasingly high tendency to make errors while exhibiting diminished post error slowing when compared with control children. Secondly, diminishing ERN and Pe amplitude will be observed more in the suffering children than in the control group. Thirdly, an improvement in the performance, post error slowing combined with early error detection (ERN amplitude) and error evaluation (Pe amplitude) will be recorded across the two groups. Fourthly, rewards will result in higher effects in the suffering children when compared to the controls. Fifthly, the suffering children will be more affected by negative feedback when compared to the developing children (FRN).
Thirty children who included 24 males and 6 females ranging from the age of 10-12 years were included. In addition, the participants must be suffering from ADHD-combined type while a control group of 25(6 females) of similar age range. In ADHD group, the children exhibited not less than 6 symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity and functional impairment (score of 3 or greater) with a diagnosis of ADHD-combined subtype. For the control group, exhibition of less than 4 symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention coupled with less than 3 ODD symptoms and fewer than 2 CD symptoms coupled with negative diagnosis on all DISC-IV parameters. Children with IQ less than 80, parent comorbid development disorder, clinically elevated self reported anxiety were excluded. The children attended a singular 3 hour session after discontinuing stimulant medication for 24 hours. Assent and consent forms were reviewed, explanation of ECG application procedures before completion of the cognitive task.
The stimuli used during the Eriksen Flanker Task comprised a series of arrows facing in similar or opposite directions. Identical and non-identical resulted in congruent and incongruent trials respectively with interference leading to errors of omission and commission. Electroencephalographic (EEG) and the response locked ERPs represented the independent variables included mean reaction time, N2 amplitude, post error slowing, and post-Too slow speeding formed the dependent variables. The psycho physiological measures were well justified with supporting methodological and empirical evidence. Repeated measures of ANOVA proved useful during the analysis of the two groups’ relation with the parameters.
The results showed a shorter response deadline for control patients, less accuracy and slower on incongruent in relation to congruent trials, participants responded more swiftly on correct trials while a larger as expected amplitude was recorded in incongruent than congruent trials. Differences in level of ERPs for errors were exhibited between the two groups unlike for correct responses. Moreover, greater levels of responses were reported for negative feedback unlike for positive feedback.
The findings of the study showed consistency with self regulation and motivational models. In addition, the findings provide backing for the cognitive-energetic model with regard to evaluation and motivational processes. The results serves as additional evidence that rewards plays a major role in improving the behavior of suffering children. The study gives the importance of behavior modification and the need to apply behavioral and neural correlates inn the synthesis and evaluation of self regulatory models widely used in ADHD management.