Male adolescents with ADHD and CD/ADHD exhibited reduced electrodermal responding compared to controls, while the CD/ADHD group differed from ADHD and controls on cardiac pre-ejection period.
Observational
Do autonomic states (EDR, PEP, RSA) discriminate between male adolescents with ADHD, CD/ADHD, and controls during specific tasks?
Concurrent assessment of multiple autonomic states can help discriminate conduct disorder from ADHD in male adolescents.
T. P. Beauchaine recently proposed a model of autonomic nervous system functioning that predicts divergent patterns of psychophysiological responding across disorders of disinhibition. This model was tested by comparing groups of male adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder plus conduct disorder (CD/ADHD) with controls while performing a repetitive motor task in which rewards were administered and removed across trials. Participants then watched a videotaped peer conflict. Electrodermal responding (EDR), cardiac pre-ejection period (PEP), and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were monitored. Compared with controls, the ADHD and CD/ADHD participants exhibited reduced EDR. The CD/ADHD group was differentiated from the ADHD and control groups on PEP and from the control group on RSA. Findings are discussed in terms of the motivational and regulational systems indexed. Implications for understanding rates of comorbidity between CD and ADHD are considered.
Beauchaine et al. (Mon,) conducted a observational in Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder. Repetitive motor task and videotaped peer conflict vs. Controls was evaluated on Electrodermal responding (EDR), cardiac pre-ejection period (PEP), and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Male adolescents with ADHD and CD/ADHD exhibited reduced electrodermal responding compared to controls, while the CD/ADHD group differed from ADHD and controls on cardiac pre-ejection period.