TY - JOUR
T1 - Do Executive Dysfunction, Delay Aversion, and Time Perception Deficit Predict ADHD Symptoms and Early Academic Performance in Preschoolers
AU - Zheng, Que
AU - Cheng, Yu Yan
AU - Sonuga-Barke, Edmund
AU - Shum, Kathy Kar man
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the principals, parents, and students who participated in this study, as well as those who have provided assistance in this project.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2022/11
Y1 - 2022/11
N2 - Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are commonly observed to have learning difficulties. This study examined how three neuropsychological constructs—executive dysfunction, delay aversion, and time perception—were associated with ADHD symptoms and early academic performance in preschoolers at risk of ADHD. One hundred and thirty-one preschoolers (70 boys, 53%) aged 4 to 6 (M = 5.31 years) were assessed on their ADHD-related behaviors, neuropsychological functioning, word reading, and math abilities at two time points one year apart. Factor analysis indicated that inhibitory and attentional control deficit, delay aversion, and time perception/working memory deficit were three dissociable factors. Among the three factors, inhibitory and attentional control measured at Time 1 was the strongest predictor of ADHD symptoms at both Time 1 and Time 2. Time perception was closely related to working memory, and they predicted word reading and numeration across time most strongly among other neuropsychological constructs. Our findings suggested that inhibitory and attentional control, delay aversion, and time perception are dissociable neuropsychological deficits underlying ADHD symptoms in preschoolers. Poor time perception may serve as a marker for the early identification of preschoolers with potential learning problems, and a possible target of intervention for ADHD.
AB - Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are commonly observed to have learning difficulties. This study examined how three neuropsychological constructs—executive dysfunction, delay aversion, and time perception—were associated with ADHD symptoms and early academic performance in preschoolers at risk of ADHD. One hundred and thirty-one preschoolers (70 boys, 53%) aged 4 to 6 (M = 5.31 years) were assessed on their ADHD-related behaviors, neuropsychological functioning, word reading, and math abilities at two time points one year apart. Factor analysis indicated that inhibitory and attentional control deficit, delay aversion, and time perception/working memory deficit were three dissociable factors. Among the three factors, inhibitory and attentional control measured at Time 1 was the strongest predictor of ADHD symptoms at both Time 1 and Time 2. Time perception was closely related to working memory, and they predicted word reading and numeration across time most strongly among other neuropsychological constructs. Our findings suggested that inhibitory and attentional control, delay aversion, and time perception are dissociable neuropsychological deficits underlying ADHD symptoms in preschoolers. Poor time perception may serve as a marker for the early identification of preschoolers with potential learning problems, and a possible target of intervention for ADHD.
KW - ADHD
KW - Delay aversion
KW - Early academic skills
KW - Executive dysfunction
KW - Time perception
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131735473&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10802-022-00937-x
DO - 10.1007/s10802-022-00937-x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85131735473
SN - 2730-7166
VL - 50
SP - 1381
EP - 1397
JO - Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
JF - Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
IS - 11
ER -
