Abstract
Background: Metacognitive monitoring and control are critical for self-regulated learning, yet their interplay in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) remains poorly understood. This study examined metacognitive monitoring (judgments of learning, JOLs) and control (allocation of study time) in children with and without ADHD using a paired-associate learning task. Methods: Participants included 42 children with ADHD (aged 8–12) and 44 typically developing (TD) controls matched on age and IQ. Children studied word pairs, made immediate JOLs, and controlled subsequent restudy time. Metacognitive accuracy was measured via gamma correlations between JOLs and recall; control was indexed by self-paced study time allocation. Results: Children with ADHD showed significantly lower monitoring accuracy (mean gamma = 0.28) compared to TD children (mean gamma = 0.45), p < .001, η² = .23. They also allocated less study time overall and exhibited weaker correlation between JOLs and study time (r = .12 vs. r = .38), indicating impaired control. Regression analyses revealed that ADHD symptoms and mind-wandering propensity predicted poorer monitoring, controlling for IQ. Conclusions: Children with ADHD demonstrate deficits in both metacognitive monitoring and control, suggesting that metacognitive interventions targeting these processes may enhance self-regulated learning in this population.