The Contribution of Atypical Sensory Processing to Executive Dysfunctions, Anxiety and Quality of Life of Children with ADHD

Figures & data

Table 1. Participants’ Sociodemographic Data.

		ADHD (n = 28)	ADHD + ASP (n = 31)	Healthy controls (n = 56)
		Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Age (years)		9.5 (1.42)	9.67 (1.27)		F3=.36, NS
		%	%	%	Χ6^2
Parents’ income	Low	17.9	9.7	8.9	7.18 NS
	Average	28.6	29	32.1
	High	53.6	61.3	58.9
Mothers’ education	Elementary school	7.1	3.2	0	15.04 NS
	High school	39.3	25.8	19.6
	Professional	3.6	12.9	21.4
	Academic	50	58.1	58.9
Secular		93.5	100	100
Religious		6.5	0

ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; SD: standard deviation; NS: not significant.

Table 2. Comparing BRIEF Standard (T) Scores Between the Groups.

		ADHD (n = 28)		ADHD + ASP (n = 31)		Healthy controls (n = 56)
		Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	F
	GEC	56.64	10.65	64.45	10.17	54.59	11.51	25.41***
	MC	60.07	2.30	62.52	12.86	53.39	13.81	28.26***
	BRI	63.11	11.38	67.52	12.91	57.04	14.34	38.38***
MC subscales	Initiation	56.64	10.65	61.71	11.99	53.41	11.84	20.95***
	Working memory	55.46	17.22	59.71	15.78	53.02	12.64	14.85***
	Plan	55.43	3.17	56.65	9.98	50.26	10.27	20.72***
	Organization	49.03	7.30	51.19	9.27	47.21	9.31	3.76***
	Self monitoring	53.39	12.67	57.97	9.19	49.76	12.47	19.65***
BRI subscales	Inhibition	49.14	7.66	54.87	9.80	48.85	10.15	8.17***
	Shift	73.36	18.87	77.77	14.20	65.04	18.15	47.17***
	Emotion control	61.39	10.61	71.29	13.84	56.44	16.72	60.87***

*p ≤ .05; **p ≤ .01; ***p ≤ .001.

ASP: atypical sensory processing; ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; BRIEF: Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions; GEC: global executive composite; BRI: Behavioral Regulation Index; MC: Metacognition Index; SD: standard deviation; NS: not significant.

F and t test analysis were performed only for the ADHD groups.

Higher BRIEF score represent lower EF; Italic indicates executive dysfunctions (scores above 65).

Figure 1. Comparing executive functions, anxiety and quality of life between children with ADHD and children with ADHD + ASP.

Table 3. Correlations Between EFs, Anxiety and QoL in Each ADHD Group (Based on Pearson Correlation Test).

		Physical QoL	Emotional QoL	Social QoL	School related QoL	Total QoL
EFs	GEC	−0.48**	−0.12	−0.44*	−0.27	−0.06
					−0.56***	−0.36*
	BRI	0.04	−0.21	−0.37	−0.13	−0.21
			−0.39*		−0.47**	−0.37*
	MC	−0.37	−0.18	0.09	−0.29	−0.32
Anxiety	Total	−0.13	−0.38*	−0.25	0.24	−0.19
	Physical anxiety	−0.23	−0.08	−0.14	0.32	−0.05
	Worriedness	−0.01	−0.49**	−0.41*	0.19	−0.26
	Social anxiety	−0.06	−0.54**	−0.26	−0.24	−0.36
	Lie/desirability	−0.14	0.15	0.17	0.22	0.13

*p ≤ .05; **p ≤ .01; ***p ≤ .001.

ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; EFs: executive functions; QoL: quality of life; GEC: global executive composite; BRI: behavioral regulation index; MC: metacognition index.

Bold – significant correlations in children with ADHD.

Not bolded – significant correlations in children with ADHD + ASP.

NS: not significant.

Table 4. Predicting QoL Domains by Group, EFs and Anxiety.

		Model 1			Model 2
	Predictors	B	SE B	β	B	SE B	β
Emotional QoL	Total anxiety	−1.79	0.48	−0.44
	Group (ADHD or ADHD + ASP)	−1.47	0.47	−0.36	−14.73	5.32	−0.32
	R^2	19%			29%
	F1,57 for change in R^2	13.58***			7.68**
Social QoL	Group (ADHD or ADHD + ASP)	−19.64	4.78	−0.48
	R^2	23%
	F1,57 for change in R^2	16.89***
School related QoL	General executive composite (GEC)	−0.87	0.22	−0.46
	R^2	21%
	F1,57 for change in R^2	15.51***
Total QoL	Total anxiety	−0.71	0.31	−0.27
	Group (ADHD or ADHD + ASP)	−14.18	3.415	−0.48	−12.26	3.39	−0.42
	R^2	22%			30%
	F1,57 for change in R^2	17.26***			5.36*

*p ≤ .05; **p ≤ .01; ***p ≤ .001.

EFs: executive functions; QoL: quality of life; ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; ASP: atypical sensory processing.

Figure 2. Mediation models:

ASP mediated between EFs and QoL in children with ADHD+ ASP

ASP mediated between anxiety and QoL in children with ADHD+ ASP