Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is widely recognized as a highly heritable condition, with evidence suggesting a relationship between executive function (EF) deficits in parents and the neurocognitive development of children with ADHD. This exploratory study analyzed the neuropsychological profile of 20 family trios composed of mothers, fathers and male children diagnosed with ADHD, all living in the same household. The main objective was to investigate the presence of executive function deficits and psychiatric diagnoses in parents, assessing how these factors influence the child’s development.
Methods
Samples were collected from families with children diagnosed with ADHD (DSM-5), aged 7 to 10 years, and with an IQ of 80 or higher. Neuropsychological assessment used the BANFE-2 battery, consisting of 11 subtests for executive functions, including working memory, cognitive flexibility, and semantic categorization. Psychiatric diagnoses were made using the MINI-Kid/MINI-PLUS structured interview. Binary logistic regressions were applied to determine the specific deficits of each group (mothers, fathers, and children) and combined groups (all parents, all men, men with ADHD).
Results
The findings highlighted that 50% of the mothers presented depression and 30% anxiety disorders, while 45% of the fathers were diagnosed with ADHD. In their children, 60% demonstrated behavioral comorbidities, such as oppositional defiant disorder. The main executive function deficits identified included verbal working memory, inhibitory control and semantic categorization, especially affecting the groups of parents and male children with ADHD. There was also a significant correlation between ADHD symptoms in parents and the time spent performing the Stroop test, indicating a direct impact of parental conditions on the executive functions of children.
Discussion
The study suggests a bidirectional impact between neuropsychiatric factors in parents and the neurocognitive development of children with ADHD. Deficits in working memory and planning in mothers were associated with reactive parenting practices and inadequate household organization, while fathers with ADHD symptoms showed lower supervision skills. Furthermore, semantic categorization emerged as a critical dimension compromised in children’s cognitive development. These results reinforce the need for systemic approaches in neuropsychological intervention, considering the family ecosystem rather than focusing exclusively on the diagnosed child.
Conclusions
This preliminary study highlights the importance of incorporating a neuropsychological and psychiatric family assessment into the clinical management of ADHD. It is recommended to expand future samples to include parents with and without psychiatric diagnoses in order to deepen the understanding of reciprocal influences in the family context. Systematic interventions involving parents and children are essential to optimize the neurocognitive development of children with ADHD.
Reference :
Flores-Lázaro, J.C., Medrano, E., & Nicolini, H. (2024). Family Neuropsychological Approach to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): An Exploratory Study. Acción Psicológica, 21(1-2), 73–92. https://doi.org/10.5944/ap.21.1-2.40027
