A Comparison of the Cognitive Profiles of Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Receiving Pharmacotherapy and Those Not Receiving Pharmacotherapy in Wechsler Intelligence Scales-Forth Edition

摘要

The first group of psychiatric treatments for children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is stimulant drug such as methylphenidate. The aim of this study is investigating cognitive profile in ADHD children who are using medicated treatment and no medicated treatment, in WISC IV. Participants are 29 ADHD children (13 no medicated and 16 medicated) and 25 normal children. The sampling method is convenient. Children were 7 to 12 years old. Result showed significant differences between ADHD group who uses medication and those who don't, and normal and ADHD groups who don't use medication in verbal comprehension and processing indexes. In perceptual reasoning index, there was significant difference between normal group and ADHD group in using medication, also in working memory index there were no significant differences between ADHD groups (with and without medication use). Using medical treatment and changing in the process of disorder toward normal function in children with ADHD following it, can be an evidence of neurological problems in these children.