Inhibition, flexibility, working memory and planning in autism spectrum disorders with and without comorbid ADHD-symptoms

Table 3 Performance in all attention tasks separated for the four diagnostic groups (mean/SD)

TASK	ASD +	ASD -	ADHD	TD	Group effects		Effect Sizes
					F	p
Inhibition (Go/NoGo)
Median	0.01 (2.76)	0.39 (1.97)	1.51 (2.24)	0.00 (1.0)	2.26	.09	ADHD < TD*, ADHD < ASD-, ASD+
Hits	- 1.27 (2.41)	- 0.65 (1.99)	- 1.82 (2.68)	- 0.05 (1.0)	2.56	.06	ADHD < ASD-, TD; ASD+ < TD
False alarms	- 0.12 (1.06)	- 0.19 (1.28)	- 1.21 (1.15)	0.01 (1.0)	4.78	.004	ADHD < ASD+, ASD-, TD***
Omissions	- 0.81 (1.41)	- 0.02 (1.28)	- 1.42 (1.61)	0.02 (1.0)	5.02	.003	ADHD < ASD-, TD*; ASD+ < ASD-, TD
Flexibility (ID/ED)
Stages	0.47 (0.89)	0.31 (0.74)	0.16 (1.01)	- 0.05 (1.0)	1.16	.33	TD < ASD+ **
Errors	0.02 (1.32)	0.23 (1.07)	- 0.06 (1.71)	0.00 (1.0)	0.11	.94	-
Test duration	- 0.83 (1.94)	0.02 (1.21)	- 0.68 (2.36)	0.01 (1.0)	1.28	.28	ASD+ < ASD-, TD**
Working Memory (SWM)
Errors	- 0.32 (1.22)	- 0.62 (1.31)	- 0.88 (0.87)	0.01 (1.0)	2.33	.08	ADHD < TD*, ASD- < TD
Strategies	0.27 (1.33)	- 0.15 (1.26)	- 0.51 (0.72)	0.01 (1.0)	1.79	.15	ADHD < ASD+, TD**
Test duration	- 0.51 (1.47)	- 0.06 (0.94)	- 0.37 (0.78)	0.01 (1.0)	0.92	.43	-
Planning (SOC)
MITT	0.07 (1.09)	- 0.53 (1.91)	0.39 (1.15)	0.00 (1.0)	1.61	.19	ASD- < ADHD**
MSTT	- 0.53 (4.12)	- 1.01 (2.58)	- 0.33 (3.22)	0.00 (1.0)	0.39	.75	ASD- < TD**
Problems solved	0.46 (1.18)	0.09 (1.31)	0.05 (1.11)	0.01 (1.0)	0.68	.56	-
Test duration	- 0.91 (2.38)	- 0.54 (1.87)	- 0.32 (1.45)	0.07 (1.0)	1.26	.29	ASD+ < TD**

Effect sizes: (mean-differences in independent groups)*d > 0.2; **d > 0.5; ***d > 0.8
Note: ASD+ = ASD with ADHD; ASD- = ASD without ADHD; ADHD = attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; TD = Typically developing group, MITT = Mean Initial thinking time; MSTT = Mean subsequent thinking time

ISSN: 1753-2000