INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 10 Program Schedule 02/17/2024 09:00 am - 10:15 am Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 10: Neurodevelopmental \| Congenital Conditions Final Abstract #65 The Role of Anxiety in Executive Function Abilities in Children With Versus Without ADHD Carolyn Marsh, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States Sherelle Harmon, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States Sooyun Cho, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States Elizabeth Chan, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, United States Fatou Gaye, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States Lauren DeGeorge, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States Katie Black, Florida State Unviersity, Tallahassee, United States Lauren Irwin Harper, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, United States Michael Kofler, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States Category: ADHD/Attentional Functions Keyword 1: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Keyword 2: anxiety Keyword 3: executive functions Objective: Neurocognitive heterogeneity and clinical comorbidities are common phenomena in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specifically, anxiety commonly co-occurs with ADHD, and has been shown to relate to both improved and poorer outcomes across an array of functional domains in this population. Regarding executive functioning, anxiety has been proposed to exacerbate working memory deficits, but protect against inhibitory control deficits. The aim of the current study was to determine the role anxiety plays in the neurocognitive heterogeneity of children with versus without ADHD by examining the extent to which anxiety moderates relations between ADHD diagnosis and executive functioning. Participants and Methods: The sample included 307 children 8-13 years of age (ADHD n=179; non-ADHD n=128; M_age = 10.27, SD = 1.37; 141 female). ADHD diagnoses were established using a comprehensive evaluation including the K-SADS and norm-referenced parent and teacher measures. Anxiety was assessed using the total raw score from the child self-report on the MASC-2. Performance metrics from four well-validated working memory and inhibitory control tasks were reduced to two single component scores for data analysis. A hierarchical regression model was conducted for each executive function outcome (working memory, inhibitory control). Predictors included ADHD diagnostic status, anxiety, and the interaction between the two, as well as demographic covariates (age, sex, SES). Results: Results showed that both ADHD diagnosis (b = -.44, p < .001) and anxiety (b = .10, p = .02) were significant predictors of working memory. Specifically, ADHD diagnosis was associated with large magnitude deficits in working memory (d = -.99), while greater anxiety predicted slightly better working memory. However, the interaction between working memory and anxiety symptoms was not significant (b = .09, p = .21). In contrast, only ADHD diagnosis significantly predicted inhibitory control (b = .14, p = .01), with children with ADHD demonstrating small magnitude impairments (d = .29). Conclusions: Previous literature suggests anxiety may exacerbate working memory deficits but protect against inhibitory control deficits in children with ADHD. However, the current study found that greater anxiety was associated with slightly better working memory after controlling for ADHD, while anxiety was unrelated to inhibitory control. Further, anxiety did not interact with ADHD to differentially predict working memory/inhibitory control in children with versus without ADHD. Future research examining the predictive utility of various dimensions of anxiety in working memory performance will be necessary to better understand the association between anxiety and neurocognitive heterogeneity in pediatric ADHD, such as children without working memory deficits. Further, empirical work in this area is clinically useful for clinicians to better understand the neuropsychological profiles of children commonly referred with co-occurring ADHD and anxiety.

Poster

02/17/2024
09:00 am - 10:15 am
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 10: Neurodevelopmental | Congenital Conditions

Final Abstract #65

The Role of Anxiety in Executive Function Abilities in Children With Versus Without ADHD

Carolyn Marsh, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States
Sherelle Harmon, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States
Sooyun Cho, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States
Elizabeth Chan, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, United States
Fatou Gaye, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States
Lauren DeGeorge, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States
Katie Black, Florida State Unviersity, Tallahassee, United States
Lauren Irwin Harper, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, United States
Michael Kofler, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States

Category: ADHD/Attentional Functions

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

Objective:

Neurocognitive heterogeneity and clinical comorbidities are common phenomena in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specifically, anxiety commonly co-occurs with ADHD, and has been shown to relate to both improved and poorer outcomes across an array of functional domains in this population. Regarding executive functioning, anxiety has been proposed to exacerbate working memory deficits, but protect against inhibitory control deficits. The aim of the current study was to determine the role anxiety plays in the neurocognitive heterogeneity of children with versus without ADHD by examining the extent to which anxiety moderates relations between ADHD diagnosis and executive functioning.

Participants and Methods:

The sample included 307 children 8-13 years of age (ADHD n=179; non-ADHD n=128; M_age = 10.27, SD = 1.37; 141 female). ADHD diagnoses were established using a comprehensive evaluation including the K-SADS and norm-referenced parent and teacher measures. Anxiety was assessed using the total raw score from the child self-report on the MASC-2. Performance metrics from four well-validated working memory and inhibitory control tasks were reduced to two single component scores for data analysis. A hierarchical regression model was conducted for each executive function outcome (working memory, inhibitory control). Predictors included ADHD diagnostic status, anxiety, and the interaction between the two, as well as demographic covariates (age, sex, SES).

Results:

Results showed that both ADHD diagnosis (b = -.44, p < .001) and anxiety (b = .10, p = .02) were significant predictors of working memory. Specifically, ADHD diagnosis was associated with large magnitude deficits in working memory (d = -.99), while greater anxiety predicted slightly better working memory. However, the interaction between working memory and anxiety symptoms was not significant (b = .09, p = .21). In contrast, only ADHD diagnosis significantly predicted inhibitory control (b = .14, p = .01), with children with ADHD demonstrating small magnitude impairments (d = .29).

Conclusions:

Previous literature suggests anxiety may exacerbate working memory deficits but protect against inhibitory control deficits in children with ADHD. However, the current study found that greater anxiety was associated with slightly better working memory after controlling for ADHD, while anxiety was unrelated to inhibitory control. Further, anxiety did not interact with ADHD to differentially predict working memory/inhibitory control in children with versus without ADHD. Future research examining the predictive utility of various dimensions of anxiety in working memory performance will be necessary to better understand the association between anxiety and neurocognitive heterogeneity in pediatric ADHD, such as children without working memory deficits. Further, empirical work in this area is clinically useful for clinicians to better understand the neuropsychological profiles of children commonly referred with co-occurring ADHD and anxiety.