Executive Functioning, Response Inhibition and Attentional Process Impairments in Impulsive Children

Abstract

Impulsivity is a multidimensional concept that incorporates failure of response inhibition, rapid processing of information, novelty seeking, and inability to delay gratification. Aggressive, suicidal and violent behaviors have been shown to be associated with impulsivity and difficulty in inhibiting responses. As explorers of executive function (EF) and impulsivity research areas believe this two are generally considered conceptually distinct, and suggest that they may be antipodes (i.e., widely separated on a common continuum, upon which they are related), We selected subjects with high (n = 25) and low (n = 25) levels of impulsivity among 537 students of ages 8 to 10 years-old, who were measured by Conners Teacher Rating impulsivity Scale. Using computerized versions, response inhibition was examined by their performance in a Go/No Go task, general performance in executive functions (EF) was measured by tower of London Test and continuous performance test (CPT) was used to assess their attentional processes. Using independent t- test and ANOVA, the results revealed that overall performance of executive functions in impulsive children in all three areas were remarkably damaged: they had impaired performance regarding Go/No Go task results; also have consumed more time and committed more errors and a worse general performance; and had more errors and weaker performance in attentional processes. The results of this study along with similar results would be effective in achieving a brighter image of impulsive children's cognitive problems in order to provide efficient treatments focused on improving their executive functions.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.