Francesca Felicia Operto1, Daniela Smirni2, Chiara Scuoppo1, Chiara Padovano1, Valentina Vivenzio1, Giuseppe Quatrosi3, Marco Carotenuto4, Francesco Precenzano4, Grazia Maria Giovanna Pastorino1. 1. Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy. 2. Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy. 3. Dipartimento Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, di Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza"G. D'Alessandro", 90127 Palermo, Italy. 4. Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health and Physical and Preventive Medicine, University "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Caserta, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to trace a specific neuropsychological profile, to investigate emotional-behavioral problems and parental stress in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1/High functioning (ASD-HF), Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) disorders and to highlight similarities and differences among the three groups. METHODS: We retrospectively collected the data from a total of 62 subjects with ASD-HF (n = 19) ADHD (n = 21), SLD (n = 22) and 20 typical development. All the participants underwent neuropsychological standardized test for the evaluation of cognitive profile (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Fourth Edition-WISC-IV), behavioral and emotional problems (Child Behavior CheckList CBCL), and parental stress (Parental Stress Index Short Form-PSI-SF). The scores of the ASD-HF, ADHD, and SLD groups were compared using non-parametric statistic methods (Kruskall-Wallis H test and U Mann-Whitney for post-hoc analysis). RESULTS: The ASD-HF group were significantly higher in all areas of the WISC-IV than the other two clinical groups. The SLD group performed significantly lower than ASD-HF in Working Memory Index. The SLD group showed lower scores on the somatic problems subscale than the other two groups. In the Difficult Child subscale of the PSI-SF, parents of ADHD children scored lower than the mothers of SLD subjects and higher than the fathers of SLD subjects. In all three groups there are specific deficiencies compared to the control group in the cognitive profile, behavioral and emotional problems, and parental stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our comparative analysis highlighted similarities and differences in three groups of children with different neurodevelopmental disorders, helping to better define cognitive, behavioral, and emotional characteristics of these children and parental stress of their parents.
BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to trace a specific neuropsychological profile, to investigate emotional-behavioral problems and parental stress in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1/High functioning (ASD-HF), Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) disorders and to highlight similarities and differences among the three groups. METHODS: We retrospectively collected the data from a total of 62 subjects with ASD-HF (n = 19) ADHD (n = 21), SLD (n = 22) and 20 typical development. All the participants underwent neuropsychological standardized test for the evaluation of cognitive profile (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Fourth Edition-WISC-IV), behavioral and emotional problems (Child Behavior CheckList CBCL), and parental stress (Parental Stress Index Short Form-PSI-SF). The scores of the ASD-HF, ADHD, and SLD groups were compared using non-parametric statistic methods (Kruskall-Wallis H test and U Mann-Whitney for post-hoc analysis). RESULTS: The ASD-HF group were significantly higher in all areas of the WISC-IV than the other two clinical groups. The SLD group performed significantly lower than ASD-HF in Working Memory Index. The SLD group showed lower scores on the somatic problems subscale than the other two groups. In the Difficult Child subscale of the PSI-SF, parents of ADHDchildren scored lower than the mothers of SLD subjects and higher than the fathers of SLD subjects. In all three groups there are specific deficiencies compared to the control group in the cognitive profile, behavioral and emotional problems, and parental stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our comparative analysis highlighted similarities and differences in three groups of children with different neurodevelopmental disorders, helping to better define cognitive, behavioral, and emotional characteristics of these children and parental stress of their parents.
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Authors: Francesco Craig; Francesca Felicia Operto; Andrea De Giacomo; Lucia Margari; Alessandro Frolli; Massimiliano Conson; Sara Ivagnes; Marianna Monaco; Francesco Margari Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2016-06-01 Impact factor: 3.222
Authors: Maria T Papadopoulou; Elpida Karageorgiou; Petros Kechayas; Nikoleta Geronikola; Chris Lytridis; Christos Bazinas; Efi Kourampa; Eleftheria Avramidou; Vassilis G Kaburlasos; Athanasios E Evangeliou Journal: Children (Basel) Date: 2022-07-31