Relationship Between Executive Functioning and Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder in 6–8 Year Old Children

Abstract

This study examined relationships between executive functioning (EF) and ADHD/ASD symptoms in 339 6-8 year-old children to characterise EF profiles associated with ADHD and ADHD + ASD. ADHD status was assessed using screening surveys and diagnostic interviews. ASD symptoms were measured using the Social Communication Questionnaire, and children completed assessments of EF. We found the EF profile of children with ADHD + ASD did not differ from ADHD-alone and that lower-order cognitive skills contributed significantly to EF. Dimensionally, ASD and inattention symptoms were differentially associated with EF, whereas hyperactivity symptoms were unrelated to EF. Differences between categorical and dimensional findings suggest it is important to use both diagnostic and symptom based approaches in clinical settings when assessing these children's functional abilities.

A Review of Executive Functions in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

“…Neely et al (2016) found a similar EF profile between ADHD+ASD and ADHD groups, while Pitzianti et al (2016) found similar EF profile between ADHD+ASD and ASD groups. Gomarus et al (2009) carried out a visual memory search task.…”

“…Similarly, studies that had focused on response inhibition report that ADHD and ASD+ADHD patients show more dysfunction on inhibitory control compared to the ASD patients (Bühler et al, 2011;Sinzig et al, 2008b;Tye et al, 2014). In addition, even studies that do not find differences between the clinical groups on response inhibition suggest a tendency of decreased performance in the comorbid group (Neely et al, 2016;Pitzianti et al, 2016;Takeuchi et al, 2013). In contrast few studies show no differences between control group and clinical groups (Sinzig et al, 2008a, but see Sinzig et al (2008b); Van der Meer et al, 2012;Yerys et al, 2009), but results from BRIEF show a worse inhibition functioning in children with ASD and ASD+ADHD compared with TD children.…”

“…No significant differences between clinical groups on inhibit performances were found in three studies (Neely, Green, Sciberras, Hazell, & Anderson, 2016;Pitzianti et al, 2016;Takeuchi et al, 2013). In three studies, ADHD and ASD+ADHD patients demonstrated more impairment in inhibitory control compared to the ASD patients (Bühler et al, 2011;Sinzig, Morsch, Bruning, Schmidt, & Lehmkuhl, 2008b;Tye et al, 2014).…”

“…Three studies demonstrated that VWM was impaired in children with ASD+ADHD when compared with the TD group (Andersen et al, 2013;Takeuchi et al, 2013;Yerys et al, 2009). Two studies reported VWM deficits in children with ADHD+ASD (Neely et al, 2016;Van der Meer et al, 2012). One study indicated VWM with no impairment in ADHD+ASD group (Pitzianti et al, 2016) and one study found that children with ASD+ADHD did not differ from the other groups regarding both SWM and VWM (Van der Meer et al, 2012).…”

“…Recently Neely et al (2016) and Pitzianti et al (2016) evaluated verbal working memory using the Backward Digit Span. Neely et al (2016) found a similar EF profile between ADHD+ASD and ADHD groups, while Pitzianti et al (2016) found similar EF profile between ADHD+ASD and ASD groups.…”