A Preliminary Investigation of the Relation Between Thyroid Functioning and Sluggish Cognitive Tempo in Children

Becker, Stephen P.; Luebbe, Aaron M.; Greening, Leilani; Fite, Paula J.; Stoppelbein, Laura

doi:10.1177/1087054712466917

Cited by 18 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Thyroid abnormalities are present in approximately 5% of children referred for ADHD 74 . Previously, Stein and Weiss 75 reported a greater proportion of lower Free Thyroxine Index (FTI) concentrations in children with ADHD-I, but not in children with ADHD-C, and there is also preliminary evidence that a higher concentration of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is positively associated with SCT symptoms in children 76 . Examining the interrelations of SCT, ADHD, sleep, and endocrine functioning is an important direction for future research, particularly since hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity is associated with sleep problems as well as emotional and behavioral problems in children 77,78 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sleep habits in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder predominantly inattentive type and associations with comorbid psychopathology symptoms

et al. 2016

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objectives Much of what is currently known about the sleep functioning of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is based on samples of children with ADHD Combined Type, and no study to date has examined the association between sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) and sleep functioning in children diagnosed with ADHD. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to (1) describe the sleep habits of children diagnosed with ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type (ADHD-I), and (2) examine whether comorbid internalizing, oppositional, and/or sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms are associated with poorer sleep functioning in children with ADHD-I. This study extends the current literature by using a large, clinical sample of children with ADHD-I to examine the association between SCT and other psychopathology symptoms with children’s sleep functioning. Methods Participants were 147 children (ages 6–11; 59% male; 55% White) diagnosed with ADHD-I using a semi-structured diagnostic interview. Parents completed measures assessing their child’s sleep habits as well as comorbid anxiety, depression, oppositionality, and SCT symptoms. Results Fourteen percent of children obtain less sleep than recommended and 31% have a sleep onset latency of greater than 20 minutes. The few children taking medication for ADHD had a longer sleep onset latency than unmedicated children. Twenty-seven percent of parents indicated that it is “difficult” to get their child out of bed on school days and 41% of parents indicated that their child needs to catch-up on sleep on the weekend “at least a little”. Regression analyses found anxiety and SCT sleepy/tired symptoms to be the most consistent dimensions of psychopathology associated with sleep functioning, with little support for depression or oppositionality being associated with sleep. Conclusions A sizeable minority of children with ADHD-I experience impaired sleep. Comorbid anxiety, in addition to SCT sleepy/tired symptoms, were most consistently associated with poorer sleep functioning in children with ADHD-I. Importantly, SCT daydreaming and SCT working memory symptoms were unassociated with sleep functioning, and the size of the effects between SCT sleepy/tired and sleep functioning indicates that these are not overlapping constructs. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the interrelations of sleep problems and comorbid psychopathology symptoms and their impact on the daytime functioning of children with ADHD-I.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sleep habits in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder predominantly inattentive type and associations with comorbid psychopathology symptoms

et al. 2016

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…First, Becker et al (2017, this issue) found SCT symptoms, but not ADHD symptoms, to be related to thyroid functioning (as measured with thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH]). This association was found in a sample of children who had normative levels of TSH (though the sample was comprised of psychiatrically hospitalized children).…”

Section: Novel Preliminary Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three novel findings from studies in this Special Issue warrant brief mention in hopes that they will spur more research. First, Becker, Luebbe, Greening, Fite, and Stoppelbein (2017) found SCT symptoms, but not ADHD symptoms, to be related to thyroid functioning (as measured with thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH]). This association was found in a sample of children who had normative levels of TSH (though the sample was comprised of psychiatrically hospitalized children).…”

Section: Novel Preliminary Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“For Some Reason I Find it Hard to Work Quickly”: Introduction to the Special Issue on Sluggish Cognitive Tempo

Becker

2017

J Atten Disord

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The body of research investigating the sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) construct continues to accumulate at a rapid pace. This article provides an introduction to the Special Issue on SCT, which includes ten empirical studies that collectively make a major contribution to the SCT knowledge base. Notably, the studies in this Special Issue include participants spanning in age from 4 to 64 years and from four continents, helping to move the field toward a life span, transcultural understanding of SCT. Together, these studies demonstrate that SCT symptoms can be distinguished from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms as early as preschool and that SCT does not fall under the overarching umbrella of ADHD. These studies also show SCT to be associated with a range of external correlates including internalizing symptoms, learning difficulties, functional impairment, and daily life executive functioning (but not performance-based measures of executive functions). Preliminary findings of SCT in relation to thyroid functioning and tobacco exposure are reported. In addition to providing a summary of the key themes across studies included in the Special Issue, this article highlights key ways in which future research can build from these studies. There is a particular need for research utilizing longitudinal, multi-method, and multi-informant designs that can shed light on the etiologies and developmental psychopathology of SCT across the life span.

show abstract

“…Becker et al [58] explicaron su estudio acerca de la relación entre los niveles de tirotropina y el TCL en 571 niños de 6-12 años. Sus análisis de regresión confirmaron la relación entre niveles de tirotropina y TCL, y no con TDAH, aunque la magnitud del efecto es baja.…”

Section: Desarrollounclassified

Tempo cognitivo lento: una revisión actualizada

Tirapu-Ustárroz

Ruiz-García²,

Luna-Lario³

et al. 2015

RevNeurol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction. The study of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) arose largely from research carried out on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This construct is defined by a range of behavioural symptoms such as the appearance of drowsiness, daydreaming, physical hypoactivity, little initiative, lethargy and apathy. Development. The construct of SCT is reviewed by means of recently published papers on its clinical characteristics, associated symptoms, evaluation, prevalence, aetiology, comorbidity, neuropsychological profiles and treatment. The latest studies propose that SCT should be understood as a cluster of symptoms that is distinct from ADHD. Although there is no clear consensus on the matter, the evidence is becoming increasingly more consistent and endows SCT with a high degree of external validity, associating it with internalising symptoms. Conclusions. We believe the different subtypes of ADHD must be grounded in attentional conceptual models. Hence, the attentional guidance network would be related with SCT, the vigilance or sustained attention network would be linked with the inattentive subtype of ADHD, and executive attention would be involved in the combined subtype of ADHD. The evidence obtained to date, including this review, supports the idea that SCT is an attention disorder distinct from ADHD but, like any dimensional disorder, it can overlap with it in around half the cases.

show abstract

A Preliminary Investigation of the Relation Between Thyroid Functioning and Sluggish Cognitive Tempo in Children

Abstract: Although preliminary, results indicate that thyroid functioning may be related to SCT. Given the small effects, however, it is important for future research to examine other endocrine and biological correlates that may inform models of the developmental psychopathology of SCT.

Cited by 18 publications

References 17 publications

Sleep habits in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder predominantly inattentive type and associations with comorbid psychopathology symptoms

Sleep habits in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder predominantly inattentive type and associations with comorbid psychopathology symptoms

“For Some Reason I Find it Hard to Work Quickly”: Introduction to the Special Issue on Sluggish Cognitive Tempo

Tempo cognitivo lento: una revisión actualizada

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About