Graduate Program
School Psychology
Degree Name
Specialist in School Psychology
Semester of Degree Completion
2016
Thesis Director
Assege HaileMariam
Abstract
The memory abilities of college-aged adolescents (18-24) with ADHD were investigated using arguments. Previous ADHD research provides insight into ADHD's association with a decreased capability to recall important parts of statements. Students read a booklet containing 24 arguments to assess their ability to recall each argument. Participants read one statement, then, immediately after reading it, attempted to accurately recall it by writing it using paper and pencil. This process was repeated 24 times (total of 24 arguments). The researcher examined, specifically, the percent of correctly recalled predicates from those read arguments. Predicates were examined because it has been shown that students who can more accurately recall predicates of arguments, can more accurately evaluate that argument. The researchers accounted for the effect that reading skill has on recall ability by treating it as a co-variate. Results showed that participants with ADHD did not significantly differ in their average verbatim or gist memory for predicates of arguments after accounting for reading skill. However, a significant relation was found between ADHD and reading skill (i.e., ADHD status is associated with lower reading skill), and between reading skill and accurate recall (i.e., higher reading skill is associated with higher recall accuracy). ADHD was not directly associated with recall accuracy. However, it appears that ADHD may have had an indirect effect on recall accuracy. The implication of the study is discussed.
Recommended Citation
Poll, Jordan, "Comparison of Memory in College Students with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Study of Argument Recall Accuracy" (2016). Masters Theses. 2440.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/2440
