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Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Mediate the Association between Deficits in Executive Functioning and Social Impairment in Children

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Abstract

We investigated whether symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are pathways through which deficits in inhibition and working memory are associated with teacher- and parent-rated social impairment in children. Participants were 64 children (55 % males; 53 % with ADHD) in grades 3–6. Consistent with our hypotheses, the association between inhibition and social impairment was mediated by hyperactivity/impulsivity and the association between working memory and social impairment was mediated by inattention. Support was not obtained for alternative models wherein the association between inhibition and social impairment was mediated by inattention, and the association between working memory and social impairment was mediated by hyperactivity/impulsivity. Further, tests of hierarchical models suggest that neither inhibition nor working memory is primary but, rather, that these cognitive processes are related to one another and that they collectively (but not uniquely) contribute to hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention. These findings have implications for conceptual models of ADHD, for understanding factors that influence and sustain social impairment among youth with symptoms of the disorder, and for interventions aimed to addressing such impairment.

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Notes

  1. Although teachers were specifically instructed to rate children when not medicated, it should be noted as a limitation that we cannot be certain that this was the case. As such, the number of teacher-rated symptoms may be an underestimate.

  2. Our having obtained significant findings with nonverbal but not with verbal working memory is in line with Nigg et al. (2004)’s proposal of a multicomponent neuropsychological model of ADHD that includes response suppression/behavioral inhibition, set shifting, planning (relying on visual working memory), and interference control.

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Author Notes and Disclosures

This study was partially funded by the Ohio University Student Enhancement Award granted to Nicole Evangelista Brandt.

During the preparation of this article, Nora Bunford was supported in part by a fellowship from the American Psychological Foundation (Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Dissertation Fellowship) and Julie S. Owens was supported by grants from the Department of Education, Institute for Educational Sciences (R324A120003; R324A120272; R324C080006). We wish to thank Steven W. Evans who reviewed an early draft of this manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    Nora Bunford, Jana B. Dykstra, Julie A. Suhr & Julie Sarno Owens

  2. University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 W Baltimore St #480, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    Nicole Evangelista Brandt

  3. Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA

    Catherine Golden

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  1. Nora Bunford
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  2. Nicole Evangelista Brandt
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  3. Catherine Golden
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Correspondence to Nora Bunford.

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Bunford, N., Brandt, N.E., Golden, C. et al. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Mediate the Association between Deficits in Executive Functioning and Social Impairment in Children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 43, 133–147 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-014-9902-9

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