Adult ADHD
Visual Abstract
Impairment in occupational functioning and adult ADHD: the predictive utility of executive function (EF) ratings versus EF tests
ADHD, Executive Function, and Employment
Russell A Barkley , Kevin R Murphy
Summarized by:
May 11, 2023
study source
Arch Clin Neuropsychol
May 2010
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What they studied
This study examined the link between executive function and job performance.
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What they found
They found that executive function was an even stronger predictor of job performance than IQ. However, this effect was only seen in self-evaluations rather than tests.
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What this means
Our ability to manage ourselves and our time may be more important than our intelligence with regard to job performance. These are areas that those with ADHD can struggle with.
Impairment in occupational functioning and adult ADHD: the predictive utility of executive function (EF) ratings versus EF tests
Objectives
While ADHD is defined by deficits in attention and challenges with hyperactivity, it’s also been associated with other cognitive effects, including executive function.
Executive function encompasses the higher-level thought processes in your brain. These include sustained attention and self-control, areas that those with ADHD can struggle with.
What is executive function?
Study Quote
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with deficits in executive functioning (EF). ADHD in adults is also associated with impairments in major life activities, particularly occupational functioning. We investigated the extent to which EF deficits assessed by both ...
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Methods
Researchers recruited adults with ADHD and a comparison group without ADHD.
They gathered data on executive functions as well as employment information.
To evaluate executive function, researchers asked participants to evaluate their own function and also conducted standardized tests.
Study Quote
Three groups of adults were recruited as a function of their severity of ADHD: ADHD diagnosis (n = 146), clinical controls self-referring for ADHD but not diagnosed with it (n = 97), and community controls (n = 109).
Results
Overall, researchers found that executive function was highly correlated with employment outcomes. However, this relationship was only seen with self-ratings of executive function.
The formal test results did not contribute much to the link between executive function and employment outcomes.
By running statistical analysis, researchers could see which particular aspects of executive function were most strongly linked with certain employment outcomes. For example, those with difficulties inhibiting themselves also had the most trouble with behavior and hostility on the job.
A study on executive function, ADHD, and employment outcomes, found that those with poor inhibition held fewer jobs, had more trouble with behavior, and quit more jobs due to hostility.
Meanwhile, motivation, another aspect of executive function, was more closely linked with work quality and boredom.
A study found that those with the most trouble with self-motivation were also more bored at work and had the most issues with job performance.
Difficulties with time management issues were associated with more behavioral issues at work.
A study found that those with the most difficulty managing time had the most behavior issues and lowest employer-rates performance.
Study Quote
Groups were combined and regression analyses revealed that self-ratings of EF were significantly predictive of impairments in all 11 measures of occupational adjustment. Although several tests of EF also did so, they contributed substantially less than did the EF ratings, particularly w...
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Conclusions
This study provides further evidence for the link between executive function and job performance. Executive function often plays a stronger role than intelligence in determining someone’s performance at work.
Interestingly, this relationship was only consistently seen in self-evaluations. It was not strongly apparent in executive function tests.
One theory the study's authors suggested is that executive function is quite complex, with many layers. Our minds and their functions change and grow as we develop. The executive function tests only cover small, superficial aspects of executive function and may not be able to capture the full spectrum of executive function.
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At each new level of this hierarchy additional abilities and skills come into play that are not represented in lower levels and yet contribute to mastering and effectively performing executively at that and higher levels of EF. Therefore, one should not be surprised that basic measures of more proximal, short-term instrumental EF constructs (EF tests) have little relationship with the tactical or strategic level of EF as represented in ratings of EF ascertained across months
Study Quote
We conclude that EF deficits contribute to the impairments in occupational functioning that occur in conjunction with adult ADHD. Ratings of EF in daily life contribute more to such impairments than do EF tests, perhaps because, as we hypothesize, each assesses a different level in the h...
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