Exploring auditory attention profiles in ADHD subtypes: A comparative analysis of ADHD-I, ADHD-C, and typically developing children

Abstract

Recent research indicates that deficits in auditory functions constitute a core aspect of ADHD symptomology. In this study, we investigated auditory attention and response control in children with ADHD-I (predominantly inattention presentation) and ADHD-C (combined presentation), compared with typically developing children (TD). The clinical sample consisted of 40 ADHD-I (female = 25), 33 ADHD-C (female = 13), and 48 age-matched TD children (female = 22), of mean ages 8.10, 8.63, and 8.56 y, respectively. We evaluated all participants in auditory neuropsychological functions using the Integrated Visual and Auditory Test (IVA). MANOVA, and applied post hoc tests to examine group differences in auditory function. The TD group showed significantly better performance comparted to the the ADHD-C and ADHD-I groups in all auditory functions (p < 0.05). Compared to the ADHD-C group, the ADHD-I group performed significantly better in auditory attention, response control, sustained attention, prudence, and consistency (p < 0.05). These results indicate that children with ADHD, particularly the ADHD-C subgroup, face significant challenges in auditory functions, thus highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address these difficulties. Future research should investigate the underlying neural mechanisms contributing to the observed functional differences and explore mitigating interventions in children with ADHD. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.