A – 28 Utility of Gordon Diagnostic System (GDS) in diagnosing ADHD in children: A meta-analysis

Abstract Objective This study assessed how the GDS can differentiate children with ADHD from normal controls. Method A meta-analysis was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-analysis reporting standards. Seven bibliographic databases were searched using terms related to GDS and ADHD in October 2023. Inclusion Criteria: studies published since 1982, using GDS for ADHD diagnosis, English language, and all ages. Two independent screeners reviewed 3,338 titles/abstracts, followed by 45 full-text articles using PICO Portal. A third reviewer resolved discrepancies. Raw data was extracted, yielding three studies for meta-analysis. Results A meta-analysis for continuous outcomes pooled and compared differences between treatment and control groups in children ages 3-17. GDS Commission Errors and Total Correct scores were assessed. Data analysis did not yield a significant difference across studies in diagnostic utility of GDS compared to control groups, Z = -11.699, Cohen’s D = -0.729, 95% CID [-0.851, -0.607], p < .001. Tests for homogeneity/heterogeneity indicated heterogeneity of results between studies, Q(4) = 16.317, p < .001, while Egger’s test suggested that there was no publication bias, t = -9.864, b = -1.026, 95% CIb [-2.348. 0.296]. The analysis suggested that the Total Correct score may better differentiate ADHD than Commission Error; however, one study accounted for nearly 90% of the weight in overall effect size. Conclusion While conclusions are limited, this study revealed that certain GDS scores may better identify ADHD. Future research is needed to provide improved GDS insights.