Developmental trajectory of hot and cold executive functions in children with and without attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Rastikerdar et al. (2023) tracked executive-function skills in kids with and without ADHD. They tested both 'hot' skills tied to emotion and reward, and 'cool' skills like working memory. The team compared kids aged 5-14 across three groups: ADHD, neurotypical, and a combined group.

Tasks included the BART balloon game for risky choices and standard puzzles for planning. The study used a quasi-experimental design, testing each child once and mapping age trends.

Kids with ADHD scored lower on almost every executive task. The gap was largest on the BART, where they took more risks and learned more slowly. Only this risky-decision task showed a clear developmental lag; other skills improved with age at the same pace as peers.

In plain words, children with ADHD act older in planning but younger in knowing when to stop.

Eussen et al. (2016) looked at planning in the same age range and also saw ADHD kids move faster but less accurately. Together the papers show that speed without reflection is a stable marker across childhood.

Payne et al. (2020) tested adolescents with ASD using the same battery. They found that ASD plus early language delay produced wider EF problems, while ADHD alone mainly hits reward control. The two studies line up: reward tasks separate ADHD from ASD.

Spriggs et al. (2016) extended the story into older adults with ASD. Those adults felt daily EF struggles even when test scores were near normal. The child data now give the first half of a lifespan arc: early reward-control lag, later subjective burden.

When you write a behavior plan, add quick pause cues before risky choices. Use BART-style games in baseline to see if the child learns from popped balloons. If reward control is the weak spot, teach stop-and-think routines first, not extra planning worksheets.