Temujin, Temulun (2026) To What Extent Do ADHD Symptoms Predict the Adaptive Deployment of Attentional Shielding as A Form of Proactive Control in A Dual-Task Paradigm Manipulating Interference Probability (50% vs 100% T2 Presence)? Bachelor thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
The present study investigated whether symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) predict the adaptive deployment of attentional shielding as a form of proactive control in a dual-task paradigm. Attentional shielding refers to the strategic protection of working-memory consolidation when interference from a secondary task is expected. To examine this, a dual-task paradigm was used in which participants encoded a visual target (T1) for later recall while responding to a secondary task (T2) that appeared either with 50% or 100% probability. Interference was further manipulated by varying the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between T1 and T2. ADHD symptom severity was assessed using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), and both extreme-groups and dimensional analyses were conducted. Results revealed robust dual-task interference effects, with reduced T1 accuracy and slower T2 response times at short SOAs. Importantly, interactions between SOA and T2 probability provided evidence for adaptive attentional shielding, indicating that participants adjusted their attentional strategy based on the predictability of interference. However, ADHD symptom severity did not significantly predict the magnitude of adaptive shielding, neither in extreme-group comparisons nor in regression analyses. These findings suggest that adaptive attentional shielding operates reliably in response to interference expectancy but is not strongly modulated by differences in ADHD symptom severity within a non-clinical student sample. The results support accounts of flexible, proactive attentional control and highlight the robustness of adaptive shielding mechanisms across individuals.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Nieuwenstein, M.R. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | None [Bachelor Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 05 Mar 2026 07:05 |
| Last Modified: | 05 Mar 2026 07:05 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/6299 |
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