ADHD and Mental Effort

Characterisation of Mental Effort in Children With ADHD

ADHD is a common childhood disorder characterised by difficulties with attention and behaviour. Various cognitive characteristics are associated with ADHD, such as executive and motivational difficulties.

Beyond these characteristics, our hypothesis is that children with ADHD may have specific strategies for allocating mental effort, influenced by motivational and metacognitive factors Our study assesses these dimensions using a behavioural task and a computational model in children with ADHD, both with and without treatment.

It aims to identify individual cognitive profiles correlated with clinical characteristics. A better understanding of the cognitive mechanisms involved in ADHD would enable the development of personalised management of the disorder.

Children hospitalized or receiving care for ADHD at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department of Robert Debré Hospital will be invited to participate in the study following verification of inclusion criteria and confirmation of no parental objection.

Each participant will complete two experimental sessions, spaced 1 to 12 weeks apart, reflecting the standard follow-up and assessment schedule for children with ADHD.

If treatment is initiated during the follow-up period, at least one of the sessions will take place no more than 12 hours after a dose of medication.

Each session will include a computerized cognitive task lasting approximately one hour-assessing memory and motivation-as well as the collection of standardized clinical data (ADHD-RS diagnostic questionnaires for ADHD and DSM-5-based assessments for mental disorders).

The study does not alter standard care; it is conducted within the framework of routine clinical follow-up, involving no interruption of treatment and offering no financial benefit to participants.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with ADHD according to the DSM-5 criteria.
• Receiving outpatient care or hospitalised within the Child and Adolescent
• Psychiatry Department at Robert Debré Hospital.
• Aged between 7 years and 6 months and under 18 years.
• Who understand, speak and can read French.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of ASD or an intellectual disability.
• Presence of a neurological comorbidity, regardless of type.
• A person with parental authority who is under guardianship or conservatorship.
• A patient under a medical emergency authorization (AME).
• Objection expressed by at least one parent (regardless of the form: oral, written, or other).