Executive Functioning Profiles in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Parent-Child Outcomes
Ana Pardo-Salamanca1, Daniela Paoletti2, Gemma Pastor-Cerezuela3
1Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universitat de València, Avda Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 29, 2024
Summary
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show more executive function (EF) deficits, leading to greater daily impairments and parental stress. Identifying EF profiles is key for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Child psychology
- Cognitive neuroscience
Background:
- Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience executive function (EF) deficits.
- These EF deficits are associated with challenges in daily life and increased stress for parents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare EF in children with ASD and ADHD to typically developing (TD) peers.
- To identify distinct EF profiles within children diagnosed with ASD and ADHD.
- To examine the relationship between EF profiles, functional impairments, and parental stress.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 30 TD children, 47 with ASD, and 34 with ADHD (ages 8-12).
- Parental questionnaires assessed parenting stress and child functioning (social, daily-life).
- EF data were collected through parent and teacher reports.
Main Results:
- Children with ASD and ADHD exhibited significantly more EF impairments than TD children.
- Three distinct clusters of EF functioning were identified based on difficulty severity.
- More severe EF deficits correlated with greater functional impairments and higher parental stress.
Conclusions:
- EF deficits significantly impact children with ASD/ADHD and their families.
- Understanding EF profiles is vital for developing effective interventions.
- Interventions targeting EF could reduce parental stress and improve daily functioning for these children.
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