The Evaluation Of Executive Function In Preschool Children With Attention Deficit/Inattention Disoreders

Objective: To test the reliability and validity of the Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function-Preschool Version(BRIEF-P)parent form for preschool age children in China.Evaluate executive function in preschool children with ADHD.Method: 282 children who were diagnosed with ADHD(Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders)、MR(Mental Retardation)and ASD(Austin Spectrum Disorder)and 61 normal controls come from nearby kindergarten were involved in this research,Age from 4y0 m to 5y11 m.Parents were asked to complete BRIEF-P、SNAP-IV and CBQ questionnaires.39 of them completed BRIEF-P retest after 1-2weeks.129 children in ADHD group completed NEPSY measurement,51 children in normal control group completed NEPSY measurement.Results:(1)Retest reliability was 0.54-0.72 and Cronbach’sαcoefficient was0.78-0.95;Subscales of BRIEF-P were medium correlated(r=0.30-0.73)with SNAP-IV and CBQ;CFA(Confirmatory Factor Analysis)shows 5-subscale model of BRIEF-P was reasonable;Compare with normal control group,Patients group(ADHD、MR and ASD)got higher scores in all aspects,which has significant statistically differences(Z=-3.48--6.34,P<0.01).(2)Compare with normal control group,ADHD children got significant higher scores on all subscales and indexes of BRIEF-P(F=3.921~126.412,P<0.05)and lower scores on Memory of Designs、Narrative Memory、Statues、Theory of Mind、Comprehension of Instruction、Visuospatial Processing、Block Construction、Reasoning of NEPSY(F=3.961~23.949,P<0.05),which means ADHD children are more damaged than normal group children on these subscales;(3)ADHD-C group got higher scores on Inhibition of BRIEF-P than ADHD-IN(P<0.05),and higher scores on Working Memory and Plan/Organizationof BRIEF-P than ADHD-HI(P<0.05),ADHD-C group performed worse than ADHD-HI in Block Construction and Visuospatial Processing of NEPSY(P<0.05),which means ADHD-C children are more damaged on these subscales.(4)There is no statistically significant age and gender difference in BRIEF-P,Girls are performed better than boys on Memory of Designs、Visuospatial Processing and reasoning of NEPSY(P<0.05),young children are performed better than older children on Narrative Memory and Visuospatial Processing(P<0.05);(5)There is no correlation between BRIEF-P and IQ(P>0.05),but in NEPSY,there are low to medical correlations between Memory of Designs、Narrative Memory、Theory of Mind、Comprehension of Instruction and IQ in both normal group and ADHD group(r=0.178~0.570,P<0.05);(6)The BRIEF-P has low to medial correlations with NEPSY in preschool children(r=-0.134~-0.305,P<0.05).Conclusion:(1)The reliability and validity of BRIEF-P are satisfactory.(2)Compare with normal control group,preschool children with ADHD children exhibited executive dysfunction in BRIEF-P and NEPSY.(3)There are difference executive dysfunction in ADHD subtypes on BRIEF-P.ADHD-C is more damaged than ADHD-IN and ADHD-HI,Executive dysfuntion is associated with inattention symptoms.(4)There is no statistically significant age and gender difference in BRIEF-P,but different results are shown in NEPSY,our sample is limit,the result need further research.(5)ADHD affected both IQ and executive function,there are correlations between these damages.(6)The BRIEF-P has only low correlation with NEPSY in preschool children.It is helpful for clinicians to attain information from different sources to assess the different aspects of executive function in preschool children.Part Ⅰ: Validity and reliability of behavior rating scale of executive function parent form for preschool age children in ChinaObjective: To test the reliability and validity of the Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function-Preschool Version(BRIEF-P)parent form for preschool age children in China.Method: 282 children who were diagnosed with ADHD(Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders)、MR(Mental Retardation)and ASD(Austin Spectrum Disorder)and 61 normal controls come from nearby kindergarten were involved in this research,Age from 4y0 m to 5y11 m.Parents were asked to complete BRIEF-P、SNAP-IV and CBQ questionnaires.39 of them completed BRIEF-P retest after 1-2weeks.Results:(1)Retest reliability was 0.54-0.72 and Cronbach’sαcoefficient was0.78-0.95;(2)Subscales of BRIEF-P were medium correlated(r=0.30-0.73)with SNAP-IV and CBQ;(3)CFA(Confirmatory Factor Analysis)shows 5-subscale model of BRIEF-P was reasonable;(4)Compare with normal control group,Patients group(ADHD、MR and ASD)got higher scores in all aspects,which has significant statistically differences(Z=-3.48--6.34,P<0.01).Conclusion: The reliability and validity of BRIEF-P are satisfactory.Part Ⅱ:The Evaluation of Executive Function in Preschool Children with Attention Deficit/Inattention Disoreders Objective: Evaluate executive function in preschool children with ADHD;Using BRIEF-P to explore the difference of executive function in ADHD subtypes;Analyse the effect of gender and age on executive function,and the correlation between IQ and executive function in ADHD group;Compare the results of BRIEF-P and NEPSY to analyze the relation between BRIFE-P and NEPSY.Method: 209 children who come from outpatients clinic were diagnosed with ADHD(Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders)and 61 normal controls come from nearby kindergarten and outpatients clinic were involved in this research,Age from4y0 m to 5y11 m.Parents were asked to complete BRIEF-P questionnaires.129 children in ADHD group completed NEPSY measurement,51 children in normal control group completed NEPSY measurement.Results:(1)Compare with normal control group,ADHD children got significant higher scores on all subscales and indexes of BRIEF-P(F=3.921~126.412,P<0.05)and lower scores on Memory of Designs、Narrative Memory、Statues、Theory of Mind、Comprehension of Instruction、Visuospatial Processing、Block Construction、Reasoning of NEPSY(F=3.961~23.949,P<0.05),which means ADHD children are more damaged than normal group children on these subscales;(2)ADHD-C group got higher scores on Inhibition of BRIEF-P than ADHD-IN(P<0.05),and higher scores on Working Memory and Plan/Organization of BRIEF-P than ADHD-HI(P<0.05),ADHD-C group performed worse than ADHD-HI in Block Construction and Visuospatial Processing of NEPSY(P<0.05),which means ADHD-C children aremore damaged on these subscales.(3)There is no statistically significant age and gender difference in BRIEF-P,Girls are performed better than boys on Memory of Designs、Visuospatial Processing and reasoning of NEPSY(P<0.05),young children are performed better than older children on Narrative Memory and Visuospatial Processing(P<0.05);(4)There is no correlation between BRIEF-P and IQ(P>0.05),but in NEPSY,there are low to medical correlations between Memory of Designs、Narrative Memory、Theory of Mind、Comprehension of Instruction and IQ in both normal group and ADHD group(r=0.178~0.570,P<0.05);(5)The BRIEF-P has low to medial correlations with NEPSY in preschool children(r=-0.134~-0.305,P<0.05).Conclusion:(1)Compare with normal control group,preschool children with ADHD children exhibited executive dysfunction in BRIEF-P and NEPSY.(2)There are difference executive dysfunction in ADHD subtypes on BRIEF-P.ADHD-C is more damaged than ADHD-IN and ADHD-HI,Executive dysfuntion is associated with inattention symptoms.(3)There is no statistically significant age and gender difference in BRIEF-P,but different results are shown in NEPSY,our sample is limit,the result need further research.(4)ADHD affected both IQ and executive function,there are correlations between these damages.(5)The BRIEF-P has only low correlation with NEPSY in preschool children.It is helpful for clinicians to attain information from different sources to assess the different aspects of executive function in preschool children.