Recent research suggests that increased demands placed upon working memory elicit elevated symptoms of hyperactivity in children diagnosed with ADHD. Such findings suggest that demands placed on working memory processing may influence motor activity. To investigate this relationship further, 43 undergraduate students from the University of Central Florida were given three versions of a visuo-spatial working memory task (including low, moderate, and high demand conditions). As the participants were engaged in these tasks, activity level was measured and recorded using 3-axis accelerometers. Participants also were given a continuous performance task (CPT) and the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale Self Report, Screening Version (CAARS-S:SV) to assess symptoms of ADHD.
Activity level of participants was found to increase as visuo-spatial working memory demands were increased. When those participants who reported symptoms of ADHD were statistically removed from the sample, a significant increase in activity between tasks remained. However, participants who reported elevated ratings of ADHD symptoms showed significantly more activity than those participants who did not report elevated ratings of ADHD as visuo-spatial working demands were increased. Implications for these findings are discussed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ucf.edu/oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:honorstheses1990-2015-1559 |
| Date | 01 January 2006 |
| Creators | Strand, Michael |
| Publisher | STARS |
| Source Sets | University of Central Florida |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | HIM 1990-2015 |
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