Comparison of rapid response impulsivity and choice impulsivity between children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and normal children

Impulsivity is one of the features of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Rapid response impulsivity and choice impulsivity encompass two different structures of impulsivity, which take place due to the deficiency in response inhibition and inhibition of immediate execution of a strong desire, respectively. Studying the existing differences in these structures between two groups with and without this disorder is clinically crucial. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the rapid response impulsivity and choice impulsivity between children with attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder and normal children.

This research was conducted with a causal-comparative method on 19 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and 19 normal children (at the age of 8 to 10 years) who selected, based on the purposive sampling method. The participants were evaluated using Structured Diagnostic Interview, Raven IQ test, and Conners' Parent and Teacher Rating Scales-revised (short form), and they were then grouped. The performance of the groups has determined using the second version of the Continuous Performance Test (CPT-II) and Real-time Discounting Task. Data have been analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and SPSS-20 software.

The results obtained from the current research indicated a significant difference between groups in the rapid response impulsivity (P<0.017), while there is no significant difference between groups in the choice impulsivity (P>0.017). Based on the obtained results, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder performed poorly in the rapid response impulsivity task.

According to the results of this research, there is a significant difference in rapid response impulsivity between two groups but there is no significant difference in choice impulsivity between them. Thus, rapid response impulsivity may be more important than choice impulsivity in the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.