Poster #12 - The relation of executive function skills to externalizing behaviors: A meta-analytic review

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Attention, Learning, Memory

Integrative Statement

Purpose: Results of meta-analytic studies demonstrate moderate associations between executive function skills (EF) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; Alderson et al., 2007; Willcutt et al., 2005) but somewhat inconsistent results regarding the relations between self-regulation and other disruptive behavior disorders (i.e., Oppositional Defiant Disorder [ODD], Conduct Disorder [CD]). Although a number of meta-analyses have examined the association of EF with externalizing pathology, the majority of these studies have focused on either a single EF skill or a single externalizing domain. Therefore, the nature of these associations and whether they vary across symptom domains and different EF skills is unknown. The goal of this study was to provide a comprehensive estimate of the overall relations between global EF, its component skills (i.e., working memory [WM], inhibitory control [IC], shifting [SH]), and behavior indicative of externalizing pathology (i.e., symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD], Oppositional Defiant Disorder [ODD], Conduct Disorder [CD], and aggression).

Method: Using meta-analytic methods, we summarized results from 95 studies with 88 independent samples, representing 16,439 elementary school-age children (46-139 months old [M=106 months, SD=21.98 months]).

Results: Results indicated that global EF and all three EF component skills were substantially associated with symptoms of ADHD and aggression (Table 1). In contrast, only IC was significantly related to ODD and CD symptoms. Moderation analyses included EF type and domain of externalizing behavior (Table 2). EF skills tended to be equivalently related to all behavioral symptoms with one exception: WM was more strongly associated with inattention than was IC. IC tended to be equivalently related to all behavioral domains. WM was more strongly related to ADHD symptoms than to CD symptoms or aggression. SH was more strongly related to symptoms of ADHD than to ODD and more strongly related to aggression than to symptoms of ODD or CD.

Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis indicate a modest overall relation between general EF, overall externalizing behavior, ADHD symptoms, and aggression, as well as a small but significant relation between EF and CD symptoms. Consistent with our hypotheses, IC was substantially related to all externalizing behaviors; however, inconsistent with our hypotheses this association was not stronger than the relation between WM or SH and externalizing behaviors. Previous meta-analyses have not compared the relation of specific EF skills with externalizing behaviors across multiple externalizing domains. The results of this study indicate that whereas IC is always important regardless of the externalizing domain examined, WM seems to be particularly important for the presentation of ADHD symptoms and SH seems to be particularly important for the presentation of aggression. Given the substantial relations found between each of the EF skills and externalizing symptoms, early screening for deficits in any of the three EF skills seems prudent to provide children with opportunities for early intervention. However, in the case of limited resources, screening for deficits in IC would appear to be the most productive route, unless the question is specifically related to the presentation of ADHD symptoms in which case screening for WM deficits may prove more beneficial.

Authors

• Jamie Ann Spiegel, Florida State University
  Presenting Author

• Christopher Lonigan, Florida State University
  Non-Presenting Author