title: Executive and attentional contributions to Theory of Mind deficit in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
abstract: Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children has been associated with attentional and executive problems, but also with socioemotional difficulties possibly associated with deficits in Theory of Mind (ToM). Socioemotional problems in ADHD are associated with more negative prognoses, notably interpersonal, educational problems, and an increased risk of developing other psychiatric disorders that emphasize the need to clarify the nature of their ToM deficits. In this study, we hypothesized that ToM dysfunction in children with ADHD is largely attributable to their attentional and/or executive deficits. Thirty-one children with ADHD (8-12 years, IQ > 85) and 31 typically developing (TD) children were assessed using executive functions (inhibition, planning, and flexibility) and attentional tasks, as well as two advanced ToM tasks (Reading the Mind in the Eyes and Faux Pas) involving different levels of executive control. Children with ADHD performed more poorly than TD children in attentional, executive function, and ToM tasks. Linear regression analyses conducted in the ADHD group indicated that inhibition scores predicted performance on the "Faux Pas" task the best, while attention scores were the best for predicting performance on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes task. When controlled for inhibition and attentional variables, ToM performance in children with ADHD was actually similar to TD children. Contrarily, controlling for ToM scores did not normalize performance for inhibition and attentional tasks in children with ADHD. This unidirectional relationship suggests that deficits in the EF and attentional domains are responsible for ToM deficits in ADHD, which therefore may contribute to their socioemotional difficulties.
authors.affiliation: a Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Research Unit, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|d ULB Neuroscience Institute , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mary
authors.affiliation: a Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Research Unit, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|c Cognitive Neurosciences Research Unit, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|d ULB Neuroscience Institute , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|e Department of Clinical and Cognitive Neuropsychology , Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Slama
authors.affiliation: b Cognition Language Development Laboratory, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|d ULB Neuroscience Institute , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mousty
authors.affiliation: a Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Research Unit, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|d ULB Neuroscience Institute , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|f Laboratory of Experimental Neurology , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|g Department of Neurology , Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Massat
authors.affiliation: b Cognition Language Development Laboratory, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|d ULB Neuroscience Institute , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Capiau
authors.affiliation: b Cognition Language Development Laboratory, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|d ULB Neuroscience Institute , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Drabs
authors.affiliation: a Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Research Unit, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.|d ULB Neuroscience Institute , Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peigneux
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology
keywords: ADHD; Attention; Cognition; Executive functions; Theory of Mind