Abstract:

ObjectiveTo analyze the characteristics of executive function (EF) deficits of male pediatric patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).MethodsA total of 104 first visit male pediatric outpatients who did not undergo medication and 47 normal boys were enrolled. The confirmatory factor analysis was used to establish models of four executive functions, i.e. response inhibition, working memory, planning, and task shift. The two-step clustering method was adopted to divide the ADHD group into 2 categories with different EF deficits. The analysis of covariance was used to analyze symptoms and characteristics of EF of clustered pediatric patients with ADHD, which were compared with those of normal boys.ResultsScores of factors of EF of the impaired-EF group were significantly lower than those of intact-EF group and control group (P<0.001) after clustering analysis was conducted. The differences of scores of factors of EF between the intact-EF group and control group were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Pediatric patients of the impaired-EF group had at least one EF deficit and 80.39% of them had 3 or 4 deficits. Pediatric patients of the intact-EF group had up to two EF deficits and 64.15%of them had no deficits. Conclusion49.0% of male pediatric patients with ADHD have EF deficits and their EF is significantly impaired.

Key words: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, executive function deficit, cluster analysis