Neuropsychological Profile Related with Executive Function of Chinese Preschoolers with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Neuropsychological Measures and Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function-Preschool Version.

Hui-feng Zhang; Lan Shuai; Jin-song Zhang; Yu-feng Wang; Teng-fei LU; Xin Tan; Jing-xue Pan; Li-xiao Shen

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Neuropsychological Profile Related with Executive Function of Chinese Preschoolers with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Neuropsychological Measures and Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function-Preschool Version.

Author: Hui-Feng ZHANG ^{1
,

2} ; Lan SHUAI ^{1
,

2} ; Jin-Song ZHANG ^{1
,

2} ; Yu-Feng WANG ³ ; Teng-Fei LU ^{1
,

2} ; Xin TAN ^{1
,

2} ; Jing-Xue PAN ^{1
,

2} ; Li-Xiao SHEN ^{4
,

5}
Author Information

1. Department of Medical Psychology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
2. Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environment Health, Shanghai 200092, China.
3. Department of Child Psychiatry Research, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China.
4. Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environment Health
5. Department of Developmental Behavioral and Child Healthcare, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder; Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function-Preschool Version; Chinese Preschoolers; Neuropsychological Function
MeSH: Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; physiopathology; Behavior Rating Scale; Child, Preschool; Executive Function; physiology; Female; Humans; Male; Neuropsychological Tests
From: Chinese Medical Journal 2018;131(6):648-656
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract:
Background:Previous studies have found that schoolchildren with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed difficulties in neuropsychological function. This study aimed to assess neuropsychological function in Chinese preschoolers with ADHD using broad neuropsychological measures and rating scales and to test whether the pattern and severity of neuropsychological weakness differed among ADHD presentations in preschool children.
Methods:The 226 preschoolers (163 with ADHD and 63 controls) with the age of 4-5 years were included and assessed using the Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P) and a series of tests to investigate neuropsychological function.
ResultsPreschoolers with ADHD showed higher scores in all domains of the BRIEF-P (inhibition: 30.64 ± 5.78 vs.20.69 ± 3.86, P < 0.001; shift: 13.40 ± 3.03 vs.12.41 ± 2.79, P = 0.039; emotional control:15.10 ± 3.53 vs.12.20 ± 2.46, P < 0.001; working memory: 28.41 ± 4.99 vs.20.95 ± 4.60, P < 0.001; plan/organize: 17.04 ± 3.30 vs.13.29 ± 2.40, P < 0.001) and lower scores of Statue (23.18 ± 7.84 vs.28.27 ± 3.18, P = 0.001), Word Generation (15.22 ± 6.52 vs.19.53 ± 7.69, P = 0.025), Comprehension of Instructions (14.00 ± 4.44 vs.17.02 ± 3.39, P = 0.016), Visuomotor Precision (P < 0.050), Toy delay (P = 0.048), and Matrices tasks (P = 0.011), compared with normal control. In terms of the differences among ADHD subtypes, all ADHD presentations had higher scores in several domains of the BRIEF-P (P < 0.001), and the ADHD-combined symptoms (ADHD-C) group had the poorest ratings on inhibition and the ability to Plan/Organize. For neuropsychological measures, the results suggested that the ADHD-C group had poorer performances than the ADHD-predominantly inattentive symptoms (ADHD-I) group on Statue tasks (F = 7.34, η = 0.12, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the ADHD-hyperactive/impulsive symptoms group had significantly poorer performances compared to the ADHD-C group in the Block Construction task (F = 4.89, η = 0.067, P = 0.003). However, no significant group differences were found between the ADHD-I group and normal control.
Conclusion:Based on the combined evaluation of performance-based neuropsychological tests and the BRIEF-P, preschoolers with ADHD show difficulties of neuropsychological function in many aspects.