Association between Executive Functions and Time Perspectives in Patients with Adults Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the association between executive functions and time perspectives in patients with adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The executive function including self-management to time, self-organization/problem solving, self-restraint or inhibition, self-motivation, and self-regulation of emotion was analyzed. In addition, the time perspective, including past-negative, past-positive, present-hedonistic, present-fatalistic, future-negative, and future-positive, were investigated. The correlations between the executive functions and time perspectives were analyzed in an adult ADHD patient group. METHODS: Thirty-six participants were divided into 17 in the ADHD group and 19 in the Control group. The participants conduct psychological tests including Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS), ADHD Self-Report Scale, and the Swedish Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory to confirm their executive functions, attention, and time perspectives. The participants were recruited at Samsung Medical Center from April 2017 to November 2018. The collected data was analyzed using a t-test and Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: The adult ADHD patients group showed significantly higher scores in the BDEFS and ADHD Self-Report Scale than the control group. In time perspective scores, the adult ADHD patients group was higher in the past-negative, present-hedonistic, present-fatalistic time perspectives than the control group. In addition, the adult ADHD patients group was lower in future-positive than the control group. In the adult ADHD patients group, the future-positive time perspectives were negatively correlated with the executive functions. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the negative time perspective is related to the executive function deficits in an adult ADHD group, particularly in the self-management of time, self-organization/problem solving, and self-motivation.

Association between Quantitative Electroencephalography Findings and Cognitive-Behavioral Characteristics in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder : A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between the wave form in quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) and the cognitive and behavioral characteristics measured by the Korean version of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition (K-WISC-IV), Korean version of the attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder Rating Scale (K-ARS), and Korean version of Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) in children diagnosed with ADHD. METHOD: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on children aged 8 to 13 years, who were diagnosed with ADHD at Samsung Medical Center from November 2011 to March 2017. A total of 57 ADHD children were selected by a medical chart review. Their QEEG findings and psychological test results, including K-WISC-IV, K-CBCL, and K-ARS (n=42), were collected. The QEEG was analyzed by the ranges of Hz: delta (1–4 Hz), theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), and beta (12–25 Hz) and transformed to the z-scored relative power. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson and Partial correlation analysis. RESULTS: The Letter-Number Sequencing scores of K-WISC was positively correlated with fronto-central alpha. The hyperactivity/impulsivity scores of K-ARS were positively correlated with the theta/beta ratio. Among the items of K-CBCL, social immaturity was positively correlated with delta and theta, and negatively correlated with alpha. Social competence was negatively correlated delta and theta, and positively correlated with alpha. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the resting state QEEG results of children with ADHD may reflect their cognitive and behavioral characteristics, especially in working memory/executive function, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and sociality.

Trait Anxiety as a Mediator of the Association between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptom Severity and Functional Impairment

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety has been shown to influence functional impairment in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to compare functional impairment in subjects with and without adult ADHD and to investigate the associations among trait anxiety, functional impairment, and ADHD symptom severity. Moreover, the effects of ADHD symptom subtypes on trait anxiety and functional impairment were also examined. METHODS: The sample included 209 adults between the ages of 20 and 31 years. Fifty-one adults received a diagnosis of ADHD, and an additional age, sex-matched group of 51 adults comprised the adult control. Participants were assessed with Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Spielberg Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T), and the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). The relationships among ADHD severity, anxiety, and functional impairment were investigated using Pearson’s correlation analysis. Subtypes of ADHD symptoms that predicted anxiety and functional impairment were investigated using regression analyses. RESULTS: Adult ADHD patients significantly differed from normal control subjects according to BDI, STAI-T, and SDS assessment. Significant positive correlations were noted between ADHD severity, anxiety, and functional impairment. Multiple linear regression analysis confirmed anxiety as a mediator between functional impairment and ADHD CAARS symptom subscales. CONCLUSION: Patients with adult ADHD showed higher levels of anxiety, depression, and functional impairment. Additionally, ADHD symptoms and anxiety impacted subject functional impairment. Our results suggest that anxiety may be a strong mediator between ADHD severity and functional impairment.

The Relationship between Parental Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Characteristics, Executive Function and Parental Emotional Distress / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disease of high heritability. Parents of children with ADHD have high parenting stress and low parenting efficacy. In this study, we assessed parents' characteristics including inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, executive function, anxiety/depression severity level, child's ADHD symptom severity, and parents' emotional distress level. The relationships between severity of ADHD symptoms in children, cognitive and emotional characteristics in parents, as well as parenting stress and parenting efficacy were evaluated. METHODS: 96 parents participated in the study. Each parent assessed their child's ADHD symptom severity, their own ADHD symptom severity, as well as executive function, depression, anxiety, parenting stress and parenting efficacy. Collected data was analyzed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean ADHD Rating Scale score of 53 children was 22.91 (±9.63). Of these, 26 (49.0%) were taking medication. Eight (8.3%) of the 96 parents had psychiatric illnesses and 12 (12.5%) had the possibility of ADHD. Mothers showed significantly higher levels of parenting stress (p < 0.001), depression (p=0.006), and parenting efficacy (p < 0.001) compared with fathers. The children's ADHD symptoms, severity, and parental depression were related to high parenting stress. The ADHD symptoms of parents were associated with high parenting stress (p=0.032). Parental executive function was significantly associated with low parenting efficacy (p=0.015). CONCLUSION: Children's ADHD symptoms severity, parental depression and ADHD symptom severity were significantly associated with high parenting stress. Parental executive function was significantly associated with low parenting efficacy. In addition to treating the children with ADHD, evaluation and treatment of parents' symptoms is needed in order to reduce parenting stress and provide a stable parenting environment.

Temporal Changes of Psychosocial Status in Neuroblastoma Survivors Over Time / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The survival rate of all childhood cancers has been increasing, and latent effects on childhood cancer survivors have been gaining researchers' attention. It has been shown that childhood cancer survivors experience social maladaptation and a decreased quality of life. Although neuroblastoma is one of the most common solid cancers in childhood, there are few reports on psychosocial status in neuroblastoma survivors. The purpose of this study was to investigate temporal changes in psychosocial status in neuroblastoma survivors. METHODS: This study was conducted by undertaking retrospective chart reviews of neuroblastoma survivors that were treated between January 1997 and February 2016 at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Among the 54 survivors identified, data for 28 patients who underwent psychological evaluation before and after treatment completion were selected for further analysis. We compared intelligence score, Korea-Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL), and Korean Personality Rating Scale for Children (K-PRC) scores before and after treatment completion. Time derivatives for each variable were calculated to identify temporal changes in scores. RESULTS: After treatment completion, K-CBCL scores for total competence (t=−2.34, p=0.044), somatic complaints (t=−2.43, p=0.022), and thought problems (t=−3.03, p=0.006) were higher than the scores prior to treatment. Familial relationship in K-PRC was significantly improved after treatment (t=2.11, p=0.045). Time derivatives of the significant K-CBCL subscales, except for the withdrawal and externalizing symptom scores, showed a tendency to increase with time. CONCLUSION: Although familial relationship and social competence improved after treatment, the levels of somatic complaints and thought problems increased following neuroblastoma treatment.

Suicidal Behavior, Violent Behavior, and Neurocognitive Function in Child and Adolescent Mood Disorder Patients

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the association between current suicidal or violent behavior and deficits of specific neurocognitive variables in child and adolescent inpatient samples diagnosed with mood disorder. METHODS: A retrospective review of the charts of mood disorder patients hospitalized at Samsung Medical Center between April 2004 and April 2015 was conducted. Child and adolescent patients aged between 10 and 18 years old and those who finished neurocognitive function testing during their hospitalization were included. Among them patients whose full scale IQ was between 85 and 115 were selected (N=111). Participants were first divided into two age-groups-group Y (10≤age≤15, N=54) and group O (16≤age≤18, N=57)-because neurocognitive function test tools were different according to age [Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) for 10 to 15-year-old patients, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) for 16 to 18-year-old patients]. They were then divided according to their suicidal or violent behavior-non suicidal/violent group (NG), suicidal group (SG), violent group (VG), and both suicidal/violent group (BG). The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was checked for measurement of participants' behavior and the Gordon Diagnostic System was checked for measurement of their attention efficiency. Kruskal-Wallis Test and Tukey test was used to determine the differences in neurocognitive function between groups. RESULTS: O-SG patients showed lower scores on the comprehension subscale of WAIS-III than O-NG patients (χ2=8.454, p=.015). O-VG patients showed lower scores on the block design subscales of WAIS than O-SG patients (χ2=7.496, p=.024). Y-VG patients showed higher scores in aggressive behavior, externalizing problems, and total problems scores of CBCL. CONCLUSION: This study showed relationship between specific neurocognitive deficits and suicidal or violent behavior. These relationships were significant in relatively older adolescents.

Association between the Daytime Plasma Cortisol Level and Depression Component of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale in Korean Depression Clinic Outpatients / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: There is evidence that Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical (HPA) system dysregulation plays a role in the pathophysiology of depression. However which psychiatric symptoms are related to HPA system dysregulation has not been studied well. The primary aim of this study was to investigate which symptom components of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) are related to HPA system dysregulation in Korean psychiatric outpatients. The secondary aim was to find other variables that have association with HAM-D components. METHODS: This study was a retrospective review of the charts of outpatients who first visited Samsung Medical Center Depression Clinic between July 2012 and October 2013. Among them those who checked the plasma cortisol level and HAM-D within one week of their first visit were selected. Fifty nine patients were selected. The HAM-D was divided into four components, including depression, anxiety, insomnia, and somatic components. Multiple regression of cortisol level was used for four subscales. RESULTS: Significant positive correlations were observed between the plasma cortisol level and depression component of HAM-D (beta=0.251, p=0.049). Age also showed negative correlation with the depression component of HAM-D (beta=-0.427, p=0.002). However anxiety, insomnia and somatic components of HAM-D did not show correlation with plasma cortisol level. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that in Korean depression clinic outpatients, the depression component of HAM-D is related to plasma cortisol level.