This study investigated if Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST) performance was influenced by symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) children, and also explored differences between the group with ADHD and the one with depression disor...
This study investigated if Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST) performance was influenced by symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) children, and also explored differences between the group with ADHD and the one with depression disorders which is related to declined prefrontal lobe executive function. For this, the group with ADHD was divided into two groups of normal WCST performance group and declined WCST performance group by levels of WCST performance, based on Categories Completes which explains WCST well. Korean Personality Inventory Child(KPI-C) was conducted to investigate cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of children of two different groups. Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test(CNT) was also conducted to compare various executive functions and to investigate attention, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility. Next, the results of KPI-C and executive function tests of groups with ADHD and depression disorder, respectively, were compared to study speciality of WCST.
In the results, subjects with declined WCST performance and the ones with normal WCST performance in the group with ADHD did not show significant differences in the executive function tests, related to attention, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, except visual-movement tracking ability. There were significant differences, however, in Ego Resilience(ERS) scale, Verbal Development(VDL) scale, Depression(DEP) scale, and Social Interaction(SOC) scale in KPI-C. That is, among children with ADHD, those who have low managing ability and adjustment potential, delayed developmental cooperation from childhood, and lots of emotional problems, such as depression symptoms, have more difficulties in performing executive function tests, especially WCST, and emotional influence like depression seems to have the biggest influential factor. Also, to explore speciality of WCST, comparison between ADHD group and depression disorder group shows significant differences in Somatozation(SOM) scale and Hyperactivity(HPR) scale in KPI-C. That is, the ADHD group shows more physical problems, attention deficit, and hyperactivity, and depression was similar level. In executive function test, ADHD group show lower performance in inhibition and cognitive flexibility than depression group, but there was no significant differences in WCST which was related to Concept Formation ability.
These results would explain various results of the other studies on executive function of ADHD, based on WCST. Through this study, some limitations of WCST to measure executive function of ADHD were found, even though WCST was used widespread and known as a proper task to do that so far. Therefore, to diagnosis ADHD, other factors but executive function would have to be considered for the therapeutic intervene. This study, however, also has some limitations to represent the whole group because of the small number of sample. Also, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of children need to be evaluated more exactly by using self-report questionnaire later, since parent-report questionnaire was used to see emotional aspects of children.