Temporal Processing And Sluggish Cognitive Tempo In College Students

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) was previously conceptualized in the literature as a cluster of symptoms related to the inattentive (IA) subtype of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recent evidence, however, has demonstrated that SCT is a distinct construct independent of, but often comorbid with, ADHD-IA. Still, findings regarding the cognitive underpinnings of SCT are rather limited, particularly in comparison to ADHD. The aim of the current study is to add to the literature on SCT by examining the association between SCT and temporal processing abilities in a population of college-aged adults. Specifically, this study examines the associations between self-reported SCT symptom severity, time estimation/time reproduction abilities, and other time management measures. Multiple linear regressions were conducted on seven dependent variables controlling for influence of ADHD. Results demonstrate that self-endorsement of SCT-related behavior may not substantially relate to performance on temporal processing tasks but does associate with participants’ self-reported of temporal processing abilities. Findings from this study will add to extant literature on SCT and will help to establish its potential association with temporal processing abilities.