title: 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.
authors.affiliation: The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.|Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel Jane
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Neely
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.|School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.|School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Jessica Leigh
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia. emma.sciberras@deakin.edu.au.|Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia. emma.sciberras@deakin.edu.au.|The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia. emma.sciberras@deakin.edu.au.|School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia. emma.sciberras@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sciberras
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School, Concord West, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hazell
authors.affiliation: The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.|Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.|The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; Autism spectrum disorder; Child; Comorbidity; Executive function