To characterize the developmental origins of youth attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), we examined independent and interactive associations of childhood-negative emotionality (NE) and executive functioning (EF; set shifting, inhibitory control, working memory) as predictors of adolescent externalizing and internalizing problems. Participants were children with and without ADHD ( = 230; ages 5-11 at baseline) followed for 6-7 years. Parent-reported NE predicted later psychopathology, and performance-based set shifting moderated this association. Unexpectedly, set shifting predicted internalizing symptoms. Findings highlight NE and EF as key transdiagnostic risk factors informing developmental models of ADHD and underscoring priorities for prevention and intervention.

We investigated the developmental trajectory of decision-making in autistic individuals from childhood into emerging adulthood and examined the impact of internalizing symptoms on decision-making strategies. Thirty-eight autistic and 50 non-autistic individuals were assessed at baseline (Mage = 11.8 years, 72.7% boys), at 2-year, and 10-year follow-up. Autistic and non-autistic individuals showed similar improvements in decision-making performance over time. However, the autistic participants exhibited a more risk-averse decision-making style compared to the non-autistic participants. The pattern of risk-averse decision-making in the autistic individuals reflected a more deliberate thinking style in advantageous situations and the influence of internalizing symptoms in disadvantageous situations.

The factor structure of the Concussion Clinical Profiles Screen (CP Screen) has not been empirically evaluated. In this study, 323 patients (59% male; 74% sport-related) completed CP Screen, ImPACT, and Vestibular/Ocular-Motor Screening (VOMS) at initial clinical visit within 30 days of concussion (±/-6.10 days). A second-order model best fit the data, with cognitive-fatigue, migraine, and ocular factors comprising a second-order factor. Loadings were all significant/substantial. Vestibular, ocular, and cognitive-fatigue factors all significantly (βs = .15-.44 ps ≤ .01) predicted assessments in similar domains, supporting concurrent validity. This study provides initial psychometric support for the structure of the CP-screen.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether there are differences in terms of cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS) symptoms and some psychiatric symptoms between obese children and healthy controls. Participants were 60 cases diagnosed with obesity and 60 healthy children who were not obese/overweight aged 6-12 years. The obese group had significantly higher CDS symptom scores comparing to the control group. In the obese group, there were statistically significant associations found between the symptoms of CDS and attention, conduct issues, emotional instability, and excessive daytime sleepiness. Clinicians who work with obese children should also be aware of CDS symptoms.

The ability to recognize emotions in others is crucial for social interaction and develops during childhood. We studied the effects of age on emotional facial recognition in schoolchildren using ERP components. Children aged 6, 8, and 10 completed identity, sex, and emotion recognition (happiness, anger, sadness) tasks. The oldest group had the highest accuracy and fastest reaction times. Only the LPP component showed age-related differences, with lower amplitudes in older children. LPP showed higher amplitude during emotion recognition, which may be associated with motivational evaluation. ERP accounted for the temporal dynamics of facial processing, which involve cognitive and emotional processes.

Children with ADHD suffer from impaired attentional, executive, and emotional processing. This study aimed to compare attentional and executive processing using (non)emotional stimuli in children with and without ADHD. Eighty-five children with ADHD and 72 matched typically developing children performed the Stroop, continuous performance, and Go/No-Go tasks using (non)emotional stimuli. Greater performance in selective attention, inhibitory control, and sustained attention was found in emotional stimuli compared to non-emotional stimuli in both groups. Emotional stimuli facilitated attentional and executive functions in children with and without ADHD. Impaired attentional and executive functions in children with ADHD are not valence-sensitive.

The N400 event-related potential (ERP), a marker of lexical-semantic processing, can assess the neural basis of reading difficulties. This study examines 1) semantic processes in typically developing (TD) children and children with reading disabilities (RD) using N400 and Set-for-Variability (SfV) profiles and 2) correlations between N400 and SfV. Fifty-one children read congruent and incongruent sentences during EEG. Results showed RD children lacked an N400 effect and had delayed SfV. A negative correlation between SfV and N400 latency in the RD group indicated distinct semantic processing delays in these children.

Siblings of individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) are situated within a complex system of risk and resilience factors for poor outcomes, many of which overlap with the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and correlate with poorer recovery trajectories. This study used Bayesian analyses to characterize and compare TBI and biopsychosocial risk factors among 632 siblings (207 NDC, 425 controls; mean age 20.54 years, range 10-30, 78.48% female). NDC siblings had a higher self-reported lifetime history of TBI compared to controls (14.98% versus 6.35%), with most reporting more than one TBI, and at an earlier age. TBI history was associated with psychiatric diagnoses and subclinical NDC features. Family and structural factors related to TBI included poorer parent-child relationship, NDC diagnoses of autism or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, minority ethnicity, and lower income. Findings have implications for health literacy, TBI education and screening, and implementation of family support.

This study investigates executive functions (EFs) and selected developmental factors in 120 children aged 6-11 years. By examining inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, the research evaluates the potential influences of age, gender, bilingualism, and family income on these EF skills. Tests adapted to Lebanese Arabic were used to assess EFs. Results indicate a linear development of inhibition, working memory, and flexibility with age. Gender differences were observed, affecting verbal and visuospatial working memory as well as flexibility. Bilingualism positively impacts EFs, with early bilinguals outperforming late bilinguals. Family income, however, shows no significant effect on EFs.

This study used Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to identify different creativity profiles among 182 secondary school students (Mage = 13.34), based on verbal and figural creative dimensions (PIC-J) which were related to Executive functions measured using Nesplora Ice Cream (VR-based), and intelligence with the WISC-V. Three profiles emerged showed a similar levels of figural creativity, but differed in verbal creativity (low, medium, high). IQ differed between low and medium verbal groups, while EF did not significantly differ across profiles. Although no overall gender differences were found, boys were slightly more represented in the high-verbal group. Findings highlight implications for educational and cognitive interventions.

To investigate the role of irritability in the psychopathology and functioning of children with ADHD. This review was conducted in compliance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses - PRISMA, a protocol that standardizes the collection of evidence, and was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review - PROSPERO. Of the 3,902 studies returned from the databases, duplicates and studies that met the exclusion criteria were removed, leaving 24 articles in the review. In children with ADHD, higher levels of irritability were strongly associated with more severe ADHD symptoms and a greater presence of psychiatric comorbidities, including depression, anxiety, and mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder. Irritability showed a positive correlation with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Cognitive functioning was notably affected, with irritability linked to poorer language skills and lower accuracy in emotion recognition. Children with chronic irritability demonstrated poorer inhibitory control, reduced social skills, and an increased tendency to abandon tasks. Furthermore, irritability was associated with faster reaction times but also lower task accuracy, and it was significantly correlated with suicidality. Irritability appears to exacerbate symptoms in patients with ADHD and increase psychiatric comorbidities. It is essential to consider irritability in the assessment and treatment of ADHD to improve mental health outcomes and the overall prognosis for these individuals.

Although our understanding of the neural bases of speech and language has advanced considerably in recent decades, a disconnect persists between this knowledge and early interventions currently used in clinical practice. Insights into how neurobiological data may be incorporated into identification, differential diagnosis, and targeted treatment offer valuable lessons for early developmental intervention. Neurobiologically-informed methods already incorporated into the treatment of speech and language disorders show promise for improving treatment strategies, but these approaches are not yet widely adopted. Bridging the gap between neuroscience and clinical care could initiate a paradigm shift from symptom-based management to proactive, neurobiologically-informed care.

Theory of mind (ToM) is centrally important in everyday social communication and interactions, and a growing number of studies have focused on this social-cognitive construct in school-aged children. This study explored age-related changes in ToM abilities and cross-cultural differences between children from China and Australia. We recruited 126 children from China and 83 children from Australia. The children's cognitive and affective ToM were measured by four tests. The findings showed that although there were no cultural differences in Interpretive ToM and Faux Pas performances, Chinese children performed poorer in Reading Mind in the Eyes and Strange Stories than Australian children.

This study examines the effects of maternal psychological distress and the Intimate partner violence (IPV) to which mothers are exposed on treatment adherence. 55 mothers of children diagnosed with ADHD and 51 mothers of healthy children were included in the study. Psychological distress and IPV were greater in the mothers of children with ADHD than in those of healthy children. Greater IPV was determined in the low treatment adherence group among the mothers of children with ADHD than in the moderate-high adherence. Holistic approaches in ADHD in which the mother's mental health is included can increase adherence to treatment.

Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often struggle with writing composition, possibly due to deficits in executive functions and processing speed. This study examined 518 children with ADHD and 851 controls to assess these effects. Multiple mediation tested whether executive functions (i.e., working memory, inhibition) and processing speed partially mediated the association between inattention and writing composition, controlling for transcription. Results showed inattention negatively predicted writing composition. Executive function accounted for nearly 10%, and processing speed nearly 17%, of the variance in this association. Findings highlight the contributions of executive functions and processing speed to writing difficulties in ADHD.

This study aimed to identify tasks targeting early executive functioning (EF) that are predictive of EF performance at early school age (kindergarten and Grade 1). Using data from 202 participants, we examined the associations between EF performance at 2, 3, or 4 years of age and performance on commonly used EF tasks at early school age. The results show that some but not all early childhood tasks predicted EF in kindergarten and Grade 1. The results point to the potential of some early EF tasks while highlighting the challenge of calibrating task difficulty at an early age.

In this cross-sectional, observational study, the association between lethargy and vagal tone was analyzed in thirteen low-risk preterm infants. Infants underwent behavioral assessment and vagal tone measurement indexed by high-frequency heart-rate variability (HF-HRV). A lower vagal tone cluster was associated with greater lethargy ( = .05), reduced handling ( = .003), excitability ( = .006), higher skin stress indicators ( = .13), and central nervous system stress indicators ( = .10) than cluster with a higher vagal tone cluster. A lower vagal tone could indicate autonomic nervous system dysregulation or immaturity, leading to neurobehavioral challenges, such as lethargy and further neurodevelopmental difficulties.

Researches on motor skills in intellectually gifted children (IGC) are Insufficient to establish a clear profile of their motor functioning and understanding their potential needs. This study aimed to characterize motor skills in 30 IGC (Intelligence Quotient ≥130) compared with 35 typically developing children (TDC) with an intelligence level in the average range, aged from 6 to 16 years. A thorough theory-driven exploratory examination of motor skills was carried out to explore distinct components described in the cognitive models of apraxia. Results of IGC were compared with those of TDC for neuropsychological performance-based and rating measures, and the presence of neurological soft signs (NSS). IGC did not differ from TDC on most of neuropsychological measures, except those of handwriting skills (at school age) where they demonstrated a weaker performance in quality. For the IGC concerned, these are generally associated with more NSS and motor complaints in daily life than the TDC. Superior performances were evidenced in measures requiring planning ability. This study did not find clear evidence for differences in motor skills between IGC and TDC. While a few IGC may develop handwriting problems as a group, they do not seem to be at risk for motor/praxis difficulties.

This study explored how socioeconomic status and family structure predict aggressive and impulsive behaviors in children with ADHD and whether cognitive functioning moderates these effects. We assessed 190 Polish children with ADHD for cognitive functions and parent-reported behavior and socioeconomic data. In girls, attentional selectivity and phonological loop functioning moderated the effects of financial situation and family structure on behaviors. In boys, single parenthood predicted aggression, moderated by phonological loop functioning. Findings show sex-specific patterns and highlight the complex interplay between cognitive, environmental, and family factors in ADHD-related behaviors, underscoring the need for further targeted research.

The Social Cognition Battery (SCB) was validated as an inclusive tool for assessing social cognition (SC) in hearing and deaf children, addressing cross-cultural gaps. Participants included 154 hearing (M age = 8.10, SD = 1.56) and 30 deaf children (M age = 9.80, SD = 1.97) from Latin America. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a unifactorial SC structure (RMSEA = 0.069, CFI = 0.962) with high reliability (ω = 0.753). Age predicted SC in hearing children, while school year better explained SC in deaf children. ROC analysis (AUC = 0.8126) confirmed strong discriminative ability. The SCB is a reliable, culturally adapted tool for diverse populations.

While rapid automatized naming (RAN) is recognized as a predictor of reading, it is unclear whether RAN is related to a particular reading route. This study aims to better understand the relationship between RAN and both reading processes (phonological decoding or lexical processing). One hundred and twenty-six children ( = 8.89 years) were separated into two groups based on their performance in irregular word reading. Children from the phonological decoding group obtained significantly lower scores for RAN objects than children from the lexical processing group, but the scores of the two groups were equivalent for the other RAN matrices. Correlations showed a stronger relationship between RAN objects and irregular word reading than pseudoword reading.