Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and behavioural planning deficiencies in South African primary school children

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is defined as a cognitive or behavioural developmental disorder. Inattentiveness, overactivity and impulsivity are regarded as the main clinical symptoms of ADHD. These symptoms may occur together or separately resulting in three recognised presentations: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and combined presentations. AIM: This study investigated deficiencies in behavioural planning in South African primary school children with and without ADHD. SETTING: Tzaneen area in Limpopo province, South Africa. METHODS: A total of 156 children (78 with ADHD and 78 matched controls without ADHD) of both genders, who were medication naïve and aged 6-15 years, participated in the study. The performance of the two groups was compared on a test of planning and problem-solving, the Tower of London (ToL) task. The results were analysed as a function of gender, age and ADHD presentation. RESULTS: < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the number of moves and time taken by the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentations of ADHD when compared to the controls. Gender and age did not influence the performance. CONCLUSION: The results showed that children with ADHD showed significantly more deficits mainly the ADHD-PI and ADHD-C presentations, which indicates that inattention is mainly responsible for deficiencies in behaviour planning. The ADHD-HI presentations and the control group were not affected.