Project KoKo
The exhaustion of cognitive control in the case of ADHS
The Project KoKo (Exhaustion of Cognitive Control in Children with and without ADHS) is concerned with the study of mental processes of cognitive control. "Cognitive control" is understood as the ability to control an action during the performance of the action. Processes of cognitive control are, for instance, involved when difficult riddles have to be solved: one has to focus on the problem, has to solve parts of the problem in order to reach the overall aim, and has to constantly monitor and control the results of one's own efforts. Cognitive control consists of a number of subprocesses; although there is no broadly accepted definition, certain aspects are repeatedly mentioned, such as processes of planning and goal monitoring, the maintenance of goal-oriented behavior, the so-called "switching" between different subtasks, continuous "updating" of information in the working memory and the filtering out of irrelevant stimuli and impulses.
The exhaustion of cognitive control
Processes of cognitive control demand effort and energy. For instance, it is not easy to learn for a math test while friends play soccer outside. Similar to a bodily effort, the mental effort of cognitive control also can lead to fatigue: Many studies have demonstrated that performance diminishes, if a number of tasks involving cognitive control have to be solved consecutively. This is illustrated, for instance, in a study of our own research group: after having been asked to control their emotional expressions (which involves mental effort), persons tend to break their resolve to refuse offered sweets break more easily.
The attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHS)
Children (and adults) suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are not able to focus their attention well; they are often impulsive and restless. Children with ADHD have particular difficulties in focusing on a task for a longer period of time. It is well established that ADHD is accompanied by an impairment of cognitive control. New studies show a great variability in the learning performance of children with ADHD: often children with ADHD are not able to maintain their performance level when they are confronted with repetitive tasks over a longer period of time.
Project aims and research questions
In our research project, we focus on one aspect of cognitive control, namely the process of inhibition. Especially children with ADHS have difficulty with this process; for instance, they blurt out answers although they have not been asked to do so in class. We are especially interested in the question of how well children with and without ADHS can control prepotent reactions when confronted repeatedly with similar tasks. We want to compare the inhibition of a prepotent reaction and study specifically how quickly the ability to inhibit a prepotent reaction diminishes during the course of a task.
Research design/ research methods
In our study we work with different computer tests suitable for children.
For instance, children are presented a picture of a lion and a dog on a computer screen. Whenever the dog appears, they are supposed to press a button, but they are instructed not to press the button at all whenever the lion appears. Our research questions are simple: How well do children manage to control their reactions? How quickly can they react (correctly)? How well can they inhibit their (wrong, inappropriate) reactions?
We are looking for children who are between the age of eight and twelve: children with ADHD, children with a reading/ writing disability or a math disability and normally developing children. The study is conducted with each child individually and takes about 45 to 60 minutes. Apart from the task outlined above, additional tests are conducted with which we measure other basic skills of the children. In general, children have a lot of fun with our tasks. Still, if a child wants to end a task prematurely, it can do so at any time. The analysis of our results is anonymized. Data allow no conclusion about individual children. The findings of the study are used solely for scientific purposes.
Scientific coordinator
Prof. Dr. Andreas Gold
Dr. Wolfgang Rauch
Kathrin Schmitt, Dipl.-Psych.
Marie Lauer-Schmaltz, Dipl.-Psych.
Cooperation partner
Vitos Klinik Hofheim
Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie,
Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie
Riedstadt
