Overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys: Stereotype impact on neuropsychological assessment

[en] There is vigorous debate regarding the possibility that ADHD is overdiagnosed in boys. We investigated the impact of the gender stereotype depicting boys as inattentive and impulsive on neuropsychological assessment (observation of psychology students and child?s cognitive performance). In experiment 1, after the stereotype was activated, psychology students rated a ?boy,? a ?girl,? or a ?child? on a behavioral assessment scale. In experiment 2, 103 children (boys and girls) completed neuropsychological tasks under stereotype threat or neutral conditions. The gender stereotype led psychology students to assess a child?s behaviors more negatively if they thought the child was a boy. Boys? performance on one cognitive score declined following stereotype threat. Regression path analyses suggested moderation by stigma consciousness. Additionally, there were mediating and suppressing (through stereotype endorsement) effects. Our results suggest that the gender stereotype might contribute to the overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys.

Disciplines :

Theoretical & cognitive psychology

Author, co-author :

Fresson, Megan ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Psychologie sociale

Meulemans, Thierry ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Neuropsychologie

Dardenne, Benoît ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Psychologie sociale

Geurten, Marie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Neuropsychologie

Language :

English

Title :

Overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys: Stereotype impact on neuropsychological assessment

Publication date :

2019

Journal title :

Applied Neuropsychology: Child

ISSN :

2162-2965

eISSN :

2162-2973

Publisher :

Taylor & Francis, United Kingdom

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

231-245

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 13 February 2018

Statistics

Number of views

413 (19 by ULiège)

Number of downloads

28 (3 by ULiège)

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