It Takes Time: Vigilance and Sustained Attention Assessment in Adults with ADHD

Anselm B. M. Fuermaier, Lara Tucha, Nana Guo, Christian Mette, Bernhard W. Müller, Norbert Scherbaum and Oliver Tucha
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Anselm B. M. Fuermaier: Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands
Lara Tucha: Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands
Nana Guo: Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands
Christian Mette: Department of Psychology, Protestant University of Applied Sciences Bochum, 44809 Bochum, Germany
Bernhard W. Müller: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
Norbert Scherbaum: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
Oliver Tucha: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-17

Abstract: Objectives : The present study compares the utility of eight different tests of vigilance and sustained attention in the neuropsychological examination of adults with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods : Thirty-one adults diagnosed with ADHD performed eight tests for vigilance and sustained attention, spread over three assessment days. Results : Adults with ADHD showed cognitive impairments in most tests and test variables, even though their sensitivity differed greatly. No specific type of test variable stands out to be the most sensitive, and no evidence for a differential deterioration of performance over time was observed. Conclusion : This study underscores the role of vigilance and sustained attention tests in the assessment of adult ADHD. It is further concluded that summary scores over the entire test duration are sufficient, but that all variables of a test should be considered. Finally, we hypothesize that reassessment on a different day may benefit a more accurate clinical assessment of adults with ADHD, in order to adequately take intraindividual fluctuations and limitations regarding test reliability into account.

Keywords: adult ADHD; neuropsychology; vigilance; sustained attention; impairment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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