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Early Adversity and Executive Dysfunction in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Amato, Jennifer
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1541366138252684

Abstract Details

2018, Psy. D., Antioch University, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology.
This dissertation was designed to inform the existing literature gap regarding variability in Executive Dysfunction on neuropsychological assessment tasks in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The two primary objectives of the study included: (a) evaluation of the relationship between number of adverse childhood events (ACEs) and performance on neuropsychological tasks of executive functions (EF; as measured by neuropsychological test results on Color–Word Interference, Verbal Fluency, Trail Making Test, and Semantic Clustering) for children with ADHD; and (b) evaluation of the relationship between number of ACEs and behavioral impairment on parent ratings of EFs (as measured by the Inhibit, Task Completion, Shift, and Planning/Organization scales on the BRIEF) for children with ADHD. Archival data derived from neuropsychological and behavioral assessment were used to evaluate 107 children diagnosed with ADHD. Eight separate linear regressions for the two families of dependent variables (i.e., four cognitive variables and four behavioral variables) were conducted. Number of ACEs significantly predicted neurocognitive shifting performance, as well as parent-reported behavioral problems with inhibition, set shifting, and self-monitoring. Findings support the hypothesis that children with ADHD who have experienced higher levels of adversity can be expected to show greater deficits on some neuropsychological measures of executive functioning and to be rated by their parents as demonstrating a higher level of behavioral dysregulation when compared to same-age peers with ADHD and lower levels of adversity. Results suggest that the experience of early adversity is a potential developmental pathway to ADHD symptomology.
Martha Straus , PhD (Committee Chair)
Theodore Austin , PsyD (Committee Member)
Jonathan Litchtenstein, PsyD (Committee Member)
122 p.
Clinical Psychology
ADHD, adverse childhood events, executive functions

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Amato, J. (2018). Early Adversity and Executive Dysfunction in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder [Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1541366138252684

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Amato, Jennifer . Early Adversity and Executive Dysfunction in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. 2018. Antioch University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1541366138252684.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Amato, Jennifer . "Early Adversity and Executive Dysfunction in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder." Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1541366138252684

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

antioch1541366138252684
478
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This open access ETD is published by Antioch University and OhioLINK.