Can Executive Functions Explain the Relationship Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Social Adjustment?
Abstract
This study examined the ability of executive functions (EF) to account for the relationship between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) status and social adjustment as indexed by parent and teacher report and by performance on a standardized observational "chat room" task. Children with the Combined subtype (ADHD-C; n = 23), the Primarily Inattentive Subtype (ADHD-I; n = 33), and non-ADHD controls (n = 36) participated. EF did not mediate the relationship between ADHD status and parent or teacher report of social adjustment. EF accounted for about 40-50% of the variance between ADHD status and the ability of children to detect subtle verbal cues as well as memory for the conversation in the chat room task, but did not mediate the relationship between ADHD and the number of prosocial, hostile, or on-topic statements that were made. Results are consistent with other recent reports, and suggest that the role of EF deficits in the production of social skill deficits in ADHD may not be as prominent as is typically assumed. The implications for the development of intervention programs designed to target core cognitive etiologic factors are discussed.
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A majority of children with ADHD experience difficulties in peer relationships.
“peer relational difficulties are apparent in a majority of children with ADHD (de Boo & Prins, 2007; Huang-Pollock et al., 2009).”
From Improving Outcomes for Youth with ADHD: A Conceptual Framework for Combined Neurocognitive and Skill-Based Treatment Approaches (2014) · cites this paper as Huang-Pollock et al., 2009
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References 95 · Cited by 109
- Authors
- Huang-Pollock, C. L., Mikami, A. Y., Pfiffner, L., & McBurnett, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Virginia (US)
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Published
- 2009-01-28
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 679-691
- ISSN
- 0091-0627 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2835
- OpenAlex
- W2000814242
- Cited by
- 109
- References
- 95
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 3.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (R03MH075731)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- executive function, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, social adaptation, social skills, conversation memory, ADHD subtypes, mediation, parent and teacher ratings, children
- MeSH terms
- Adjustment Disorders, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Cognition Disorders, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Humans, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Peer Group, Surveys and Questionnaires, Reaction Time, Social Adjustment, Social Behavior, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
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