Explore the Association between Neuropsychological Functions and ADHD Diagnosis and Comorbid Using Longitudinal Study in Preschool Children

Although the behavior symptoms of Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) usually arise in the preschool age, difficulty with inattention/ hyperactivity/ impulsivity is common in typical developmental preschool children, hence, it is a fussy problem to make ADHD diagnosis in preschool children. The current study using the longitudinal study in preschool children to exam three study issues: 1) using the neuropsychological functions (ie. Behavioral inhibition, delay aversion, the variability of reaction time) among the preschool children predict the ADHD diagnosis and behavior symptoms in 1.5 years later. 2) using the behavior inhibition, delay aversion and the variability of reaction time (using the parameter among Gaussian distribution and ex-Gaussian distribution) explore the association between attention and motor inhibition problems. 3) explore the transaction effect between the neuropsychological functions and family function and parenting to predict ADHD comorbidity with oppositional defiant disorder. The current study would follow the same participants for 1.5 years, time 1 is around 4-5 years old, and time 2 is around 6-7 years old. Participants (100 typical developmental control, 120 ADHD high risk preschool children at time one), and we using the diagnosis at time 2 to have three groups in this study (ADHD persistent, ADHD remission and typical developmental control). The measurements were included 1) the different neuropsychological test (ie. behavioral inhibition, delay aversion, and vigilance task), 2) the ADHD behavioral rating scales and diagnosis interview, 3) the scaling for family function and parenting, 4) intellectual assessment. The current study has opportunity to describe and to answer the complicated problems for heterogeneous neuropsychological deficits in ADHD, and to elucidate the core issues for ADHD have comorbid with ODD. The most important contribution is to offer the empirical evidence to make a clean suggestion in ADHD diagnosis and intervention in preschool age.

Project ID:PF10307-0520
External Project ID:MOST103-2410-H182-003-MY3