A comparative study of executive functions among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with learning disabilities

Abstract Background Both ADHD and learning disorders have been found to be associated with executive dysfunctions; the executive functions’ (EFs) construct generally involves a series of components—planning, cognitive flexibility, inhibition, attention control, and verbal and visuo-spatial working m...

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Main Authors: Heba Essam Abou El Wafa, Soha Abd El Latif Ghobashy, Aya Maged Hamza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2020-11-01
Series:Middle East Current Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43045-020-00071-8
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author Heba Essam Abou El Wafa
Soha Abd El Latif Ghobashy
Aya Maged Hamza
author_facet Heba Essam Abou El Wafa
Soha Abd El Latif Ghobashy
Aya Maged Hamza
author_sort Heba Essam Abou El Wafa
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Both ADHD and learning disorders have been found to be associated with executive dysfunctions; the executive functions’ (EFs) construct generally involves a series of components—planning, cognitive flexibility, inhibition, attention control, and verbal and visuo-spatial working memory—that work independently in many ways but are closely related. There were no significant studies comparing both disorders and excluding the drug’s effects on executive functions. In our study, we used BDEFS-CA to assess executive functions among a sample of 340 children divided in to four groups: group 1 (100 children), ADHD only; group II (80 children), LD only; group III (60 children), combined ADHD and LD; and group IV (100 children), control group. We included children aged from 6 to 13 of both sexes of average IQ and all had to be drug naive with no sensory impairment or disabling neurological disorder and after their parents’ consent. Results The results showed that there was significant higher affection of the five executive functions domains in the first three groups more than the fourth control group. Furthermore, the self-restraint (response-inhibition) executive dysfunction was the most commonly affected EF in group I while time management EF and self-regulation and problem solving EF were the most commonly affected EF in the LD group. Conclusions Complete executive function profile assessment should be done for children diagnosed with ADHD or learning disability and EF intervention program should be included in the management plan for better outcomes mainly self-restraint EF in case of ADHD and problem solving and self-organization EF in case of learning disabilities
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spelling doaj.art-966be3847f444203893ea4419aa3be5e2022-12-22T03:00:27ZengSpringerOpenMiddle East Current Psychiatry2090-54162020-11-012711910.1186/s43045-020-00071-8A comparative study of executive functions among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with learning disabilitiesHeba Essam Abou El Wafa0Soha Abd El Latif Ghobashy1Aya Maged Hamza2Psychiatry, Alexandria UniversityPsychiatry, Alexandria UniversityPsychiatry, Alexandria UniversityAbstract Background Both ADHD and learning disorders have been found to be associated with executive dysfunctions; the executive functions’ (EFs) construct generally involves a series of components—planning, cognitive flexibility, inhibition, attention control, and verbal and visuo-spatial working memory—that work independently in many ways but are closely related. There were no significant studies comparing both disorders and excluding the drug’s effects on executive functions. In our study, we used BDEFS-CA to assess executive functions among a sample of 340 children divided in to four groups: group 1 (100 children), ADHD only; group II (80 children), LD only; group III (60 children), combined ADHD and LD; and group IV (100 children), control group. We included children aged from 6 to 13 of both sexes of average IQ and all had to be drug naive with no sensory impairment or disabling neurological disorder and after their parents’ consent. Results The results showed that there was significant higher affection of the five executive functions domains in the first three groups more than the fourth control group. Furthermore, the self-restraint (response-inhibition) executive dysfunction was the most commonly affected EF in group I while time management EF and self-regulation and problem solving EF were the most commonly affected EF in the LD group. Conclusions Complete executive function profile assessment should be done for children diagnosed with ADHD or learning disability and EF intervention program should be included in the management plan for better outcomes mainly self-restraint EF in case of ADHD and problem solving and self-organization EF in case of learning disabilitieshttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43045-020-00071-8Executive functionsADHDLearning disability
spellingShingle Heba Essam Abou El Wafa
Soha Abd El Latif Ghobashy
Aya Maged Hamza
A comparative study of executive functions among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with learning disabilities
Middle East Current Psychiatry
Executive functions
ADHD
Learning disability
title A comparative study of executive functions among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with learning disabilities
title_full A comparative study of executive functions among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with learning disabilities
title_fullStr A comparative study of executive functions among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with learning disabilities
title_full_unstemmed A comparative study of executive functions among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with learning disabilities
title_short A comparative study of executive functions among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with learning disabilities
title_sort comparative study of executive functions among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with learning disabilities
topic Executive functions
ADHD
Learning disability
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43045-020-00071-8
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