Correlation between sleep disorder screening and executive dysfunction in children with attention...

Area of Science:

• Child psychology
• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Sleep medicine

Background:

• Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
• Sleep disorders (SD) and executive dysfunction (ED) are frequently observed in children.
• The relationship between SD, ED, and ADHD requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the frequency of sleep disorders (SD) and executive dysfunction (ED) in children diagnosed with ADHD versus a control group.
• To explore correlations between ADHD subtypes, SD, ED, and cognitive assessments.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 156 children with ADHD and 111 controls (mean age ~8.4 years) were assessed.
• Sleep disorders were screened using the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ).
• Executive dysfunction was evaluated via working memory measures from the Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WISC-IV).

Main Results:

• No significant difference in the frequency of sleep disorders was found between children with ADHD and controls.
• Executive dysfunction was identified more frequently in children with ADHD.
• Significant correlations were observed between ADHD type and SD, and between ED, WISC-IV scores, and SD type.

Conclusions:

• The study did not find an increased prevalence of sleep disorders in children with ADHD.
• Executive dysfunction is present in children with ADHD.
• A complex interplay exists among ADHD subtypes, sleep disorders, executive dysfunction, and cognitive performance in children with ADHD.