INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 10 Program Schedule 02/17/2024 09:00 am - 10:15 am Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 10: Neurodevelopmental \| Congenital Conditions Final Abstract #26 Do Depression and Anxiety Mediate the Relationship Between ADHD Symptoms and Executive Functioning in College Students? Nicole Colón-Bosques, Mississippi State University, Starkville, United States Patrick Vukmirovich, Mississippi State University, Starkville, United States Kevin Armstrong, Mississippi State University, Starkville, United States Category: ADHD/Attentional Functions Keyword 1: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Keyword 2: executive functions Keyword 3: depression Objective: College students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms exhibit executive function (EF) deficits (Weyandt et al., 2017). Miller et al. (2012) stated that EF is an umbrella term that includes skills such as planning, organization, response inhibition, sustained attention, set-shifting, working memory, and reasoning. Undergraduate students need these neuropsychological skills to succeed in their academic responsibilities. Furthermore, previous research has demonstrated that depression and anxiety symptoms often co-occur with ADHD symptoms. Other researchers suggest depression and anxiety may also cause EF deficits (Levin et al., 2007; Jarret, 2016). This study aims to determine if depression and anxiety mediate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and EF. We hypothesized that there would be an indirect association between ADHD symptoms and EF through anxiety and depressive symptoms in college students. Participants and Methods: A sample of 213 undergraduate students, with a mean age of 19.74 years, completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1; Kessler et al., 2005) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale – 21 (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), both generally used as screening instruments. The college students also completed the Executive Function Index (EFI; Spinella, 2005), which assesses executive function skills. The sample consisted of 145 females (68.1%), 62 males (29.1%), 5 nonbinary (2.3%), and 1 preferred not to answer (0.5%). Positive ADHD screens from the ASRS-v1.1 were present for 109 (51.2%) of the sample. Participants received course credit from the university's psychology research participation program. Mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS's PROCESS Model 4 (Hayes, 2013). Results: Mediation analyses conducted in PROCESS based on 5,000 bootstrapped samples and 95% confidence intervals demonstrated a significant indirect effect of ADHD symptoms on EF through depression symptoms (b = -2.59, SE = 0.96, 95% CI [-4.68, -0.90]). However, the indirect effect of ADHD symptoms on EF through anxiety was not significant (b = 0.80, SE = 0.95, 95% CI [-1.05, 2.69]). Furthermore, the results revealed a significant direct effect of ADHD symptoms on EF in the presence of the mediators (b = -4.37, SE = 1.58, t = -2.77, p = .006), showing that ADHD symptoms are related to EF. Conclusions: Results partially support the hypothesis of this study because there was a significant indirect effect between ADHD symptoms and EF through depression symptoms in undergraduate students, but there was not a significant indirect effect in this relationship through anxiety symptoms. These results suggest that individuals with ADHD symptoms may experience difficulties in EF due to the presence of co-occurring depression symptoms but not due to co-occurring anxiety symptoms. While ADHD symptoms have a direct association with EF, depression symptoms might influence this relationship. Neuropsychologists should recognize the potential value of addressing depression symptoms in efforts to enhance EF among college students with ADHD symptoms. Given the use of these neuropsychological skills is vital for undergraduate students to succeed in academic environments, future research should evaluate how depression symptoms interfere with academic and professional performance. This improved understanding may facilitate the development of evidence-based interventions.

Poster

02/17/2024
09:00 am - 10:15 am
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 10: Neurodevelopmental | Congenital Conditions

Final Abstract #26

Do Depression and Anxiety Mediate the Relationship Between ADHD Symptoms and Executive Functioning in College Students?

Nicole Colón-Bosques, Mississippi State University, Starkville, United States
Patrick Vukmirovich, Mississippi State University, Starkville, United States
Kevin Armstrong, Mississippi State University, Starkville, United States

Category: ADHD/Attentional Functions

Keyword 1: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Keyword 2: executive functions
Keyword 3: depression

Objective:

College students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms exhibit executive function (EF) deficits (Weyandt et al., 2017). Miller et al. (2012) stated that EF is an umbrella term that includes skills such as planning, organization, response inhibition, sustained attention, set-shifting, working memory, and reasoning. Undergraduate students need these neuropsychological skills to succeed in their academic responsibilities. Furthermore, previous research has demonstrated that depression and anxiety symptoms often co-occur with ADHD symptoms. Other researchers suggest depression and anxiety may also cause EF deficits (Levin et al., 2007; Jarret, 2016). This study aims to determine if depression and anxiety mediate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and EF. We hypothesized that there would be an indirect association between ADHD symptoms and EF through anxiety and depressive symptoms in college students.

Participants and Methods:

A sample of 213 undergraduate students, with a mean age of 19.74 years, completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1; Kessler et al., 2005) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale – 21 (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), both generally used as screening instruments. The college students also completed the Executive Function Index (EFI; Spinella, 2005), which assesses executive function skills. The sample consisted of 145 females (68.1%), 62 males (29.1%), 5 nonbinary (2.3%), and 1 preferred not to answer (0.5%). Positive ADHD screens from the ASRS-v1.1 were present for 109 (51.2%) of the sample. Participants received course credit from the university's psychology research participation program. Mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS's PROCESS Model 4 (Hayes, 2013).

Results:

Mediation analyses conducted in PROCESS based on 5,000 bootstrapped samples and 95% confidence intervals demonstrated a significant indirect effect of ADHD symptoms on EF through depression symptoms (b = -2.59, SE = 0.96, 95% CI [-4.68, -0.90]). However, the indirect effect of ADHD symptoms on EF through anxiety was not significant (b = 0.80, SE = 0.95, 95% CI [-1.05, 2.69]). Furthermore, the results revealed a significant direct effect of ADHD symptoms on EF in the presence of the mediators (b = -4.37, SE = 1.58, t = -2.77, p = .006), showing that ADHD symptoms are related to EF.

Conclusions:

Results partially support the hypothesis of this study because there was a significant indirect effect between ADHD symptoms and EF through depression symptoms in undergraduate students, but there was not a significant indirect effect in this relationship through anxiety symptoms. These results suggest that individuals with ADHD symptoms may experience difficulties in EF due to the presence of co-occurring depression symptoms but not due to co-occurring anxiety symptoms. While ADHD symptoms have a direct association with EF, depression symptoms might influence this relationship. Neuropsychologists should recognize the potential value of addressing depression symptoms in efforts to enhance EF among college students with ADHD symptoms. Given the use of these neuropsychological skills is vital for undergraduate students to succeed in academic environments, future research should evaluate how depression symptoms interfere with academic and professional performance. This improved understanding may facilitate the development of evidence-based interventions. 