Vigilance patterns in children and adolescents with ADHD: A cluster analysis of electro-physiological and behavioral data

The bachelor’s thesis by Manuela Ackeret explores innovative vigilance over the course of the cluster in children and adolescents with and without ADHD during a visual sustained attention tests (VCPT). By means of k-means cluster analysis, three distinct vigilance patterns identified Ackeret, with children with ADHD are significantly more often in clusters with vigilance waste are represented. Remarkably, the interdisciplinary combination of EEG-data, event-related potentials and behavior Maassen, which allows for a more nuanced consideration of attention processes. The results show significant differences between the clusters in terms of the number of errors and the specific energy modeling components of the brain. It is the merit of Manuela Ackeret that this novel inspection of vigilance profiles promising perspectives for a more accurate ADHD diagnosis, by going over and above the mere categorization, and individualized neuro-physiological patterns. The work makes an important contribution to the development of personalised diagnostic approaches, and potentially tailor-made interventions for ADHD. Especially valuable are the methodological combination of behavioural observation and neuro-physiological measurement, which is used in ADHD research, although increasingly it is, but so far, no one has so consistently on the pattern of individual differences was applied. This work could lead the way for future research approaches that aim to understand the heterogeneous manifestations of ADHD to develop more differentiated treatment strategies.