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Abstract
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is the most researched pediatric mental health disorder with many interested fields of practice involved in assessment, treatment, and research of this disorder. This study aimed to add to the wealth of research on neurocognitive performance associated with ADHD and ADHD treatment with stimulants specifically within the cognitive domains of working memory and processing speed. Initial analysis was performed with retrospective data to assess novel comparison statistics between similar cognitive domains on common cognitive assessment measures within a clinical comparison population. Both main indices of working memory and processing speed on the WJ IV COG and the WISC-V were assessed to measure similar constructs with large correlations between these measures in these domains. They were also found to be statistically similar to the correlations between the WJ IV COG and WISC-IV even with some significant changes within the working memory index on the Wechsler scale. The perceptual speed cluster on the WJ IV COG produced anomalous results compared to the former stated results and WISC-IV comparative results. In comparison to these clinical population statistics, a significant stimulant medication impact was not detected within the working memory performance nor the processing speed performance measures. There was, again, an anomalous result found when comparing the perceptual speed cluster to processing speed in relation to the aforementioned results. However, the working memory comparison indicated a higher correlation, interpreted as more consistent results, within the ADHD group whose performance being compared was linked with active or inactive stimulant medication status between days of assessment; this was compared to the clinical control group who were not on any stimulant medication at any point, although this difference was short of statistical significance.
Taken together, these findings add to the extensive literature involving individuals with ADHD and treatment of such. However, while the results add to the extant data of cognitive performance considerations of the presentation, assessment, and treatment of this diagnosis, perhaps more questions for future research were likewise presented. Specifically ideas are presented that consider alternative outlooks on therapeutic effects of treatment in these domains and methodological nuances within similar future studies.