Paul Sutcliffe|Dorothy V. M. Bishop|Stephen Houghton|Myra F. Taylor
Effect of Attentional State on Frequency Discrimination: A Comparison of Children With ADHD On and Off Medication
University of Sheffield|University of Oxford|University of Western Australia|University of Western Australia
debate continues hypothesis children language literacy difficulties genuine auditory processing deficit several recent studies reported deficits frequency discrimination fd unclear whether genuine perceptual impairments reflective comorbid attentional problems exist many children language literacy difficulties present study investigated fd children attention deficit hyperactivity disorder adhd attentional state altered stimulant medication auditory thresholds obtained using fd frequency modulation detection fm tasks fd task participants judged 2 pairs contained highlow frequency sound fm task children judged two tones wobbled ie modulated children adhd significantly poorer variable fd performance compared stimulant medication significantly worse controls fd runs stimulant medication however children adhd differ controls fm task findings demonstrate certain auditory discrimination tasks influenced childs attentional status addition significant relationships fd measures language reading abolished comorbid attentional difficulties taken account study implications design interpretation studies investigating links auditory discrimination difficulties language literacy