Extra time improves inhibition in children with ADHD

What is it about?

Children with ADHD often struggle with impulse control and timing. Our study asked whether giving these children extra time before they needed to respond to a task could help them manage their impulses. We found that when the children had a longer pause to get ready, they were better at controlling impulsive reactions.

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Photo by Leo Rivas on Unsplash

Photo by Leo Rivas on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This is significant because it highlights a practical, low-cost strategy—simply allowing more time before actions—may help support children with ADHD both at school and in daily routines. By demonstrating a beneficial role for longer waits, our findings open the door to new intervention approaches that leverage timing to improve self-control skills in children facing attention and impulsivity challenges.

Perspectives

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I have enjoyed long-standing collaborations with several of my co-authors, and working together on this article was both productive and insightful. Our focus on ADHD really highlighted for me how simple adjustments—like allowing children a bit more time before responding—can have a noticeable impact on managing impulsivity. My hope is that these findings will inspire practical strategies in classrooms, at home, and in other everyday contexts, ultimately leading to more supportive environments for children with ADHD.

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