Measuring inhibitory control in children

J Dev Behav Pediatr. 1997 Aug;18(4):254-9.

Abstract

The Stop Signal Task is a measure of inhibitory control in which subjects must press a button in response to a stimulus. On certain trials, the subject receives a second stimulus (the Stop Signal) after the primary stimulus and must withhold his/her response during those trials. The onset of the Stop Signal is varied, sometimes coming immediately after the primary stimulus (inhibition is easy); at other times, the Stop Signal arrives quite late, making inhibition difficult. Results from the Stop Signal Task were obtained from children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and from controls; children with ADHD had significantly more difficulty inhibiting their responses than did controls. In a second study, results from the Stop Signal Task were obtained from a large sample of both behaviorally disturbed and community children; variables from the Stop Signal Task correlated well with both laboratory observations and teacher ratings of inattention and hyperactivity.

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety Disorders / complications
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / complications
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / physiopathology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Impulsive Behavior / diagnosis*
  • Impulsive Behavior / etiology
  • Inhibition, Psychological*
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests* / standards
  • Psychometrics / methods*
  • Psychometrics / standards
  • Reaction Time / physiology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Social Behavior Disorders / complications
  • Volition / physiology*