Event-, Time- and Activity-Based Prospective Memory in Children with ADHD

ABSTRACT

We examined prospective memory (PM) function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A group of 28 children with ADHD and 28 typically developing children completed event-, time- and activity-based PM tasks and attention tests. ADHD children had impaired attention but intact PM performance. Both groups performed best in activity-based PM tasks, followed by event-based PM tasks, and performed worst in time-based PM tasks. ADHD children had lower ongoing task performance in the event-based PM task. The findings indicate that children with ADHD may have an intact PM, but this may be at the cost of ongoing task performance.

Acknowledgments

We thank Ya-hui Xiao for helping collect data.

Declaration of Interest

The authors of this manuscript declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [31400873]; the CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology,  Chinese Academy of Sciences [KLMH2015ZG02]; and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation [2013M530760].