Exploring Subfactors of Adult Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome and Impact on Neuropsychological Performance

Objective: This study investigated subfactors of cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS; previously referred as sluggish cognitive tempo) among adults referred for neuropsychological evaluation of attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Retrospective analyses of data from 164 outpatie...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of attention disorders 2024-04, Vol.28 (6), p.957-969
Main Authors: Khalid, Elmma, VanLandingham, Hannah B., Basurto, Karen S., Nili, Amanda N., Gonzalez, Christopher, Guilfoyle, Janna L., Ovsiew, Gabriel P., Durkin, Nicole M., Ulrich, Devin M., Resch, Zachary J., Pliskin, Neil H., Soble, Jason R., Cerny, Brian M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology
Cognition
Executive Function
Humans
Lethargy - complications
Retrospective Studies
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Objective: This study investigated subfactors of cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS; previously referred as sluggish cognitive tempo) among adults referred for neuropsychological evaluation of attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Retrospective analyses of data from 164 outpatient neuropsychological evaluations examined associations between CDS subfactors and self-reported psychological symptoms and cognitive performance. Results: Factor analysis produced two distinct but positively correlated constructs: “Cognitive Complaints’’ and “Lethargy.” Both correlated positively with symptom reports (rs = 0.26–0.57). Cognitive Complaints correlated negatively with working memory, processing speed, and executive functioning performance (rs = −0.21 to −0.37), whereas Lethargy correlated negatively only with processing speed and executive functioning performance (rs = −0.26 to −0.42). Both predicted depression symptoms, but only Cognitive Complaints predicted inattention symptoms. Both subfactors demonstrated modest to nonsignificant associations with cognitive performance after accounting for estimated premorbid intelligence and inattention. Conclusion: Findings indicate a bidimensional conceptualization of CDS, with differential associations between its constituent subfactors, reported symptoms, and cognitive performance.
ISSN:1087-0547
1557-1246
DOI:10.1177/10870547231218945