Cognitive and Socioeconomic Predictors of Stroop Performance in Children and Developmental Patterns According to Socioeconomic Status and ADHD Subtype

ARÁN FILIPPETTI, VANESSA; RICHAUD, M.C.; KRUMM, GABRIELA; RAIMONDI, WALDINA

PSYCHOLOGY & NEUROSCIENCE

American Psychological Association

Año: 2021

1984-3054

Objectives: We conducted three empirical studies with the aim at (a) examining thecognitive predictors (i.e., working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, reading,and intelligence) of each Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) condition (i.e., Word,Color, and Color?Word) and the convergent and divergent validity among measures,(b) examining the socioeconomic predictors of SCWT performance, further establishingnormative values according to socioeconomic status (SES) and age, and (c) analyzing thedistinctive patterns of performance according to SES and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) subtype. Methods: A large sample of typically developing(TD) children from Middle- (n = 779) and Low- (n = 129) SES and ADHD children(n = 44), inattentive versus combined subtype, was evaluated. Multivariate analysis ofvariances (MANOVAs), Pearson?s correlations, and hierarchical and stepwise regressions analyses were performed. Results: Study 1 results indicated that SCWT conditions are selectively associated with reading speed and executive functions (EFs), and that theformer would not depend on child´s IQ. Study 2 findings revealed distinct patterns of SCWT performance according to SES and selective associations between socioeconomicindicators and SCWT conditions, being maternal education and housing conditions themain predictors. Finally, Study 3 results revealed distinctive patterns of SCWT performance according to ADHD subtype, with no differences on the interference measure among groups. Conclusions: Our findings support the validity of the SCWT as a measure of inhibition in TD children. However, when the pattern of SCWT performance isdifferent from the typical expected one (i.e., Word score higher than Color score and this,in turn, higher than Color-Word score), the interference measure should be interpretedwith caution but without disregarding the relevant and distinctive information providedby each SCWT condition.