ABSTRACT
The Executive Function is a set of cognitive processes that are developed from the earliest ages. Recent studies in children with disruptive behaviour disorders suggest the presence of effects on the executive functioning. The aim of this study is to know the association among symptoms of Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Conduct Disorder, and Executive Function in children from 3 to 6 years old. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. An assessment was performed on a sample of 444 subjects from Spain; it was made through an inventory for parents and teachers to estimate the capacity of Executive Function. Results: a relation between the symptoms of Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and the Executive Function deficit was found. The presence of symptoms of Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder inattentive type is associated with deficiencies in all areas of Executive Function, which does not occur with other symptoms. Conclusion: It is important to know the specific characteristics of each symptomatology by taking into account their executive functioning, in order to achieve accurate diagnoses in the clinical setting, as well as appropriate therapy according to the deficiencies presented by children.
Las funciones ejecutivas son un conjunto de procesos cognitivos que se desarrollan desde los estadios iniciales. Recientes estudios en niños con trastorno de comportamiento adaptativo sugieren la presencia de efectos sobre el funcionamiento ejecutivo. El objetivo del presente trabajo es conocer la asociación entre síntomas del síndrome por déficit de atención con hiperactividad, síndrome opositivo desafiante y trastorno de conducta y función ejecutiva en niños de 3 a 6 años. La investigación de tipo descriptivo transversal se llevó a cabo sobre una muestra de 444 niños españoles. Para estimar la capacidad de funciones ejecutivas, se estructuró un inventario para padres y educadores. Se encontró una relación entre los síntomas del síndrome de défict de atención con hiperactividad, síndrome opositivo desafiante y trastorno de conducta, y déficit en funciones ejecutivas. La presencia de los síntomas del síndrome de défict de atención con hiperactividad de tipo inatento se asoció con deficiencias en todas las áreas de funciones ejecutivas, lo que no ocurre con otros síntomas. Por lo tanto, es importante conocer las características específicas de cada sintomatología, tomando en cuenta su funcionamiento ejecutivo, con el ánimo de lograr diagnósticos adecuados en el ámbito clínico y la terapia apropiada acorde a las deficiencias presentadas en niños.
Subject(s)
Child , Conduct Disorder , HyperkinesisABSTRACT
Objective: The study examines the effectiveness of a CBT treatment programme over and above that of Treatment As Usual (TAU), with children who were referred to an outpatient child psychiatric clinic for disruptive behaviour disorders in Singapore. Methods: One hundred and three children aged 8 to 12 (mean±SD=10.22±1.31) who participated in the study were assigned to either the CBT+TAU (n= 51) or TAU group (n=52). Children in both the CBT+TAU and TAU groups received a standard and typical service offered to children at the outpatient child psychiatric clinic. In addition, children in the CBT+TAU group attended the CBT treatment programme that consisted of nine 1.5 hour weekly sessions. Results: Findings from ANCOVA indicated that children in the CBT+TAU treatment group showed significantly lower levels of aggression and significantly lower levels of parental stress at posttreatment and at 3-month follow-up in comparison to the TAU group. Conclusions: Findings from the present study provided some evidence of the effects of CBT in reducing aggressive behaviour and parental stress among children with disruptive behaviour disorders. Interpretation of the findings, recommendations for future research, and implications of the present study were presented.