Abstract
Objectives
The present study aimed at combining previous separate research findings having shown that executive functions (EF) contribute to a large range of emotional and behavioral problems among youths with and without neurodevelopmental disorders such as dyslexia and ADHD. Within a unifying framework, it investigated the mediational roles of ADHD symptoms and emotion regulation (ER) difficulties in the association between various EF and internalizing symptoms.
Methods
The sample included 82 adolescents with ADHD, dyslexia, comorbid ADHD/dyslexia, and typically developing adolescents, thus showing varying EF deficits. Whereas EF (attentional control, inhibition, shifting, working memory) were assessed in behavioral tasks, parents reported on ADHD symptoms, and ER and internalizing (anxiety, depression) symptoms were assessed via self-reports.
Results
In two-path mediation analyses, ADHD symptoms and ER problems mediated the association between working memory and anxiety (via inattention and ER, a1d21b2 = − .27, 95% CI [− .58, − .04]; via hyperactivity and ER, a1d21b2 = − .19, 95% CI [− .42, − .02]) and depression symptoms (via inattention and ER, a1d21b2 = − .20, 95% CI [− .54, − .03]; via hyperactivity and ER, a1d21b2 = − .24, 95% CI [− .48, − .03]). Hyperactivity and ER, but not inattention and ER, mediated the association between inhibition and internalizing symptoms (predicting anxiety, a1d21b2 = .003, 95% CI [.0001, .009]; predicting depression, a1d21b2 = .004, 95% CI [.002, .009]) as well as between attentional control and internalizing symptoms (predicting anxiety, a1d21b2 = .01, 95% CI [.001, .03]; predicting depression, a1d21b2 = .01, 95% CI [.004, .03]).
Conclusions
These results offer an insight into how ADHD symptoms and ER problems mediate the association between EF components and internalizing symptoms, with potential implications for prevention and intervention measures.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the different teams of the collaborating institutions in Luxembourg and Germany for enabling the recruitment of participants as well as their help with data collection.
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The present study was entirely funded by the University of Luxembourg. No specific grant was received from any funding agency, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
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LB designed and executed the study, ran the data analyses, and wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. GS collaborated with the design of the study as well as the conceptualization and writing of the manuscript. CS assisted with the design and collaborated in writing and editing the final manuscript.
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The study was approved by the University of Luxembourg’s Ethics Review Panel (ERP) and was in accordance with relevant and current data protection laws.
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Battistutta, L., Schiltz, C. & Steffgen, G. The Mediating Role of ADHD Symptoms and Emotion Regulation in the Association Between Executive Functions and Internalizing Symptoms: a Study Among Youths with and Without ADHD and/or Dyslexia. Adv Neurodev Disord 5, 396–412 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-021-00212-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-021-00212-y