Hacking Your ADHD – Research Recap with Skye: Executive Dysfunction and Early ADHD in Preschoolers

Host: William Curb
Guest: Sky Waterson
Release Date: September 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Hacking Your ADHD Research Recap series, host William Curb and guest Sky Waterson delve into a study exploring whether executive dysfunction, delay aversion, and time perception deficits predict ADHD symptoms and early academic performance in preschoolers. Together, they break down the paper’s methodology, the complexities of diagnosing ADHD at a young age, and discuss what the research means for early intervention and practical strategies.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Understanding the Study’s Purpose

• The paper examined how three neuropsychological constructs — executive dysfunction, delay aversion, and time perception — correlate with ADHD symptoms and academic performance in preschool children, specifically 4-5 year olds in Hong Kong. ([02:11])
• The unique contribution: linking time perception specifically, in addition to working memory and delay aversion, to early academic challenges.

Quote (Sky Waterson, 02:11):
"So the paper we're looking at today is about Time perception and long-term academic performance. But really importantly, and we'll talk about this more, it's about that in preschoolers."

2. Challenges in Assessing ADHD at Preschool Age

• Diagnosing ADHD is complex in preschoolers, as typical behaviors (like restlessness) may not clearly delineate between those with and without ADHD. Assessments are usually based on teacher and parent questionnaires—not full diagnoses at such an early stage. ([03:31], [04:11])

Quote (William Curb, 04:16):
"What's the difference between a four year old with ADHD who can't sit still and a four year old without ADHD who can't sit still? That can be a little bit harder to find because you don't have a lot of the inhibition control and all that things developed yet."

3. Methodology: How Were the Constructs Measured?

• Executive function: Assessed via working memory tasks.
• Delay aversion: Used a computer game akin to the marshmallow test, requiring kids to choose between immediate or delayed rewards. ([05:39])
• Delay frustration: Children were unexpectedly forced to wait during a repetitive task, mimicking a slow computer. ([06:10])
• Time perception: Tested via time reproduction and discrimination tasks — for example, having children judge how long a light bulb was lit and then attempt to reproduce that duration. ([07:28], [08:04])

Notable Moment (William Curb, 07:28):
"I would love to see control versus ADHD on this one because I feel like this is just a very hard..."

Quote (Sky Waterson, 06:49):
"They were basically given a test of an old computer that doesn't work properly, which... that would create delay frustration in any age group, I think."

4. Key Findings of the Study

• All three constructs—executive function, delay aversion, and time perception—were predictive, to varying degrees, of academic performance as measured by early literacy and numeracy tests.
• Working memory (executive function) was the strongest predictor.
• Time perception and delay aversion were also related, but their influence was weaker.
• Even after controlling for socioeconomic status and general ability, both time perception and working memory impacted early academic performance, notably in Chinese word reading—a task with a high memory load. ([10:44]–[12:19])
• Links found between time perception deficits and difficulties in math (dyscalculia) and reading, connecting "time blindness" to broader learning challenges.

Quote (Sky Waterson, 11:10):
"They found that when [socioeconomic status and general ability] were controlled for, time perception of working memory contributed to children's academic performance at time one and time two, specifically Chinese word reading..."

Quote (William Curb, 12:19):
"It's less a direct thing, but more of our perception of things. And I feel like that means that using certain strategies could really mitigate those factors in the long run."

5. Practical Implications & Strategies

• The research underscores the importance of externalizing time for children (and adults) with ADHD, such as:
  • Visual timers (e.g., timers that show time passing with a shrinking red disc)
  • Accessible clocks in the learning environment
  • Practice with estimating task durations
• Traditional alarms may not be as helpful—visual and tangible cues are more effective due to inherent time perception difficulties. ([14:39]–[16:06])

Quote (Sky Waterson, 14:39):
"Externalizing time is a massive one... that visual timer where you see time passing, things like that can be really helpful."

Quote (William Curb, 16:06):
"I also love when I'm trying to, like, do a task I really don't want to do, but I'm like, okay, this is going to take this amount of time. I look up and like, it's been 10 seconds."

• The impact of time blindness can last beyond school, affecting work performance, stress levels, and self-esteem.

6. Reflections and Listener Connection

• Sky and Will invite listeners to consider whether struggles with time perception affected their academic experiences or daily functioning, and shared that lived experiences (e.g., rushing through tests, missing exam pages) reflect these research findings. ([16:16])
• Call for feedback and experiences from listeners: How does time perception affect you? What strategies work for you? ([13:46])

Quote (Sky Waterson, 16:16):
"If that's you, if you've been in that experience, this might be an ADHD that you have experienced and there might be reasons for that."

Notable Quotes & Time Stamps

• Sky Waterson (02:11):
  "They wanted to look at how three neuropsychological constructs... were associated with ADHD symptoms and academic performance in preschoolers..."

• William Curb (04:16):
  "What's the difference between a four year old with ADHD who can't sit still and a four year old without ADHD who can't sit still?"

• Sky Waterson (11:10):
  "Time perception of working memory contributed to children's academic performance..."

• William Curb (12:19):
  "I feel like that means that using certain strategies could really mitigate those factors in the long run."

• Sky Waterson (14:39):
  "Externalizing time is a massive one... that visual timer where you see time passing, things like that can be really helpful."

Memorable Moments

• Will openly admitting the difficulty of time reproduction tasks for anyone, not just kids with ADHD. ([07:28])
• Sky sharing personal experience with dyscalculia and relating it to the study ([02:11], [12:49])
• The hosts’ frank discussion on how academic research rarely includes solutions and actionable experimentation. ([14:39])
• Reflection on personal exam experiences and time management mishaps resonating with listener struggles ([16:16]).

Summary of Takeaways

• Working memory is the strongest predictor of academic success among ADHD-related traits in preschoolers; time perception also plays a measurable role.
• Children with ADHD symptoms may need explicit aids to manage time and support memory, which can help long-term academic and functional outcomes.
• Research emphasizes the value of practical, visual tools to externalize time, not just alarms.
• There’s a need for longitudinal and intervention-focused research to translate these findings into concrete supports.
• Listeners are encouraged to try supportive strategies and share their own experiences, amplifying community wisdom beyond the clinical research.

For further engagement and resources:

• Reach William Curb at hackingyouradhd.com/contact
• DM Sky Waterson at Unconventional Organization on Instagram for an annotated copy of the paper and support.

This summary omits sponsor messages and non-content segments, focusing on actionable information and insights for those interested in ADHD research and practical strategies.