Peer reviewedERIC Number: EJ697116
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-May-1
Pages: 10
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0890-8567
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Motivational Effects on Motor Timing in Attention-Deficit/hyperactivity Disorder.
Van Meel, Catharina S.; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Heslenfeld, Dirk J.; Sergeant, Joseph A.
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, v44 n5 p451 May 2005
Objective: This study was designed to clarify whether poor performance of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on motor timing tasks reflects a true deficit in the temporal organization of motor output or is due to a lack of intrinsic motivation. Method: Eighteen children with ADHD (age 8-12) were compared with 18 age- and gender-matched normal controls with respect to timing precision, timing variability, and the frequency of extreme under- and overestimations during a 1-second interval production task. Monetary reward, response cost, and no reward were implemented to manipulate motivation. Results: Children with ADHD produced significantly more inaccurate and more variable time intervals and exhibited a larger number of extreme over- and underestimations than control children. Although all children performed significantly better when monetary incentives were applied, group differences were not eliminated. Conclusions: In this study, no evidence was found for a motivational deficit as an explanation for impaired performance on a time production task in ADHD. Rather, results provide clear support for a generic motor timing deficit, probably due to a dysfunctional frontostriatocerebellar network involved in temporal aspects of motor preparation. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 2005;44(5):451-460. Key Words: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, motor timing, response variability, motivation, reward.
Descriptors: Program Effectiveness, Rewards, Psychiatry, Motivation, Intervals, Incentives, Hyperactivity, Attention Deficit Disorders
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, P.O. Box 1620, Hagerstown, MD 21741. Tel: 800-638-3030 (Toll Free); Fax: 301-223-2400.
Publication Type: Journal Articles
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