# Investigating interference-control in ADHD using a novel forced-response method

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2024 · $195,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often considered to be a disorder in children and
adolescents, but is, in fact, diagnosed in 2.5% of adults as well. A main behavioral correlate of ADHD is the
claimed increase in susceptibility to interference from irrelevant external sources. A prevailing view in the
literature is that deficits in executive functions, especially control over interference, underlie ADHD symptoms
(e.g., Barkley, 1997; Pennington & Ozonoff, 1996). Interference control is the ability to prevent interference due
to resource or stimulus competition (Nigg, 2000). However, despite 20 years of research, empirical evidence
for impaired interference control in ADHD patients remains inconclusive using model tasks such as the Simon
task and the flanker task. This may be related to methodological issues that are present in such tasks that are
typically used to assess interference control. The current application is based on a new approach to study
interference control that can avoid these issues. The approach makes use of a “forced-response” method in
which individuals’ responses in conflict tasks are required at a fixed time. This fixed time occurs at a variable
time after the presentation of the imperative stimulus to which individuals must make a response, making it
possible to capture responses at various points in the processing stream. The application includes experiments
using this new approach, and it offers a computational framework to understand how interference control in
ADHD individuals may be compromised compared to healthy individuals.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10758598
- **Project number:** 5R21MH129909-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** John Jonides
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $195,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-01-01 → 2025-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10758598

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10758598, Investigating interference-control in ADHD using a novel forced-response method (5R21MH129909-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10758598. Licensed CC0.

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