Executive functions in preschool children with ADHD and DBD: an 18-month longitudinal study.
In this longitudinal study, we examined the stability of the association between executive functions and externalizing behavior problems, and the developmental change of executive functions in a predominately clinically diagnosed preschool sample (N = 200). Inhibition and working memory performance were assessed three times in 18 months. Across time, poorer inhibition performance in young children was associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and disruptive behavior disorders (DBD), and poorer working memory performance was associated with ADHD. Inhibition and working memory performance increased over time, especially in the early preschool period. The improvement of inhibition performance was more pronounced in the clinically diagnosed children compared to the TD children.
a Department of Child and Adolescent Studies , Utrecht University , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
Kim
K
Schoemaker
Tessa
T
Bunte
Kimberly Andrews
KA
Espy
Maja
M
Deković
Walter
W
Matthys
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests