Vicious cycle of emotion regulation and ODD symptoms among Chinese school-age children with ODD: a random intercept cross-lagged panel model

The Comparison of Psychological Factors and Executive Functions of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome to ADHD and ADHD Comorbid with Oppositional Defiant Disorder

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to examine family functionality, emotion regulation difficulties, preference for loneliness, social exclusion, internalizing and externalizing disorders, and executive functions in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS) and compare with ADHD, and ADHD+ Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).

METHOD

This study included 842 children aged 8-12 years. The subjects were categorized according to DSM-V as ADHD (n = 246), ADHD + ODD (n = 212), ADHD + CDS (n = 176), and Control group (n = 207). The solitude and social exclusion, difficulties in emotion dysregulation and Barkley SCT scales, Child Behavior Checklist, family assessment device, and Central Vital Signs (CNSVS) test were used.

RESULTS

According to the study, children with ADHD + CDS had higher rates of internalizing disorders. They also preferred being alone and experienced more difficulty communicating with their parents and solving problems within the family. Additionally, these children had difficulty recognizing and understanding the emotional reactions of others. The ADHD + ODD group presented a poorer performance on CNSVS domain tests except for the psychomotor speed test than other groups. Also, ADHD + CDS children had the lowest psychomotor speed scores and lower scores on reaction time and cognitive flexibility than pure ADHD children.

CONCLUSION

This study will contribute to the etiology, treatment, and clinical discrimination of ADHD + CDS.

Single Exercise for Core Symptoms and Executive Functions in ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES

A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of single exercise on core symptoms and executive function in adolescents with ADHD.

METHODS

Four databases were searched for studies of the effects of single exercise on core symptoms and executive functioning in adolescents with ADHD.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies were included, and a single session of exercise had small effect-size improvements in core symptoms and executive function in adolescents with ADHD: 10 to 13 year olds in the early adolescent-elementary school years and 18 to 24 year olds in the late adolescent-college years. Moderate-intensity continuous training, high-intensity interval training, single sessions of less than 30 minutes, and single sessions of 30 minutes and more significantly improved cycling training, attention, inhibition, substance use, and pre-study abstinence.

CONCLUSIONS

A single session of exercise had an overall ameliorative effect on core symptoms and executive function in adolescents with ADHD.

Emotional and Behavioral Changes in Preschool Firstborn Children During Transition to Siblinghood: A Mixed Methods Study

Purpose

To help firstborn children in families expecting a second child navigate the role transition more smoothly, we investigated the emotional and behavioral changes of firstborn children during the transition to siblinghood (TTS) and the factors that contribute to these changes.

Patients and Methods

From March to December 2019, a total of 97 firstborn children (Mage=3.00± 0.97, and female = 51) were included in the study through a questionnaire survey of their mothers, and two follow-up visits were conducted in Chongqing, China. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 mothers.

Results

Both quantitative and qualitative results suggest that emotional and behavioral problems of firstborn children tend to increase during TTS, particularly in issues such as anxiety/depression, somatic complaints, withdrawal, sleep problems, attention problems, and aggressive behavior, as well as internalization problems, externalization problems and total problems in the quantitative study (P<0.05). A poor father-child relationship may increase emotional and behavioral problems in firstborn children (P=0.05). Further qualitative analysis found that younger age and outgoing personality of the firstborn child may improve the emotional and behavioral problems.

Conclusion

The firstborn children did have more emotional and behavioral problems during TTS. But these problems can be regulated by family factors and their own characteristics.