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Htqe.2022.01

https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2022.01 | 11-27 | PDF

Cognitive Abilities in Children with ADHD, Comorbid Epilepsy and Typically Developed Children

Edmunds Vanags1, Ņikita Bezborodovs2,3, Līga Riekstiņa1, Armands Zelčs1, Lelde Ūlupe1, Dana Skara1, Ance Vecgrāve1, Marta Celmiņa3, Jurģis Strautmanis3
1 University of Latvia, Latvia
2 Rīga Stradins University, Department of Psychiatry and Narcology
3 Children’s Clinical University Hospital, Epilepsy and Sleep Medicine Centre

Abstract. The aim of the study was to assess the differences in cognitive abilities compared across clinical and control groups. It was hypothesized that differences between groups would be small or non-existant, due to rather heterogeneous clinical profiles. And they could be partially explained by participants’ age as cognitive abilities develope over time. Further analysis of the sample was performed by creating cognitive ability profiles of the participants.
The study used data from the project “Development of a Screening Method for Children with ADHD and CSWS in Children aged 7–15”, and included data from 97 children, which were divided into 3 groups: ADHD, combined ADHD and epilepsy and control group. For assessing cognitive abilities an extended battery of executive and other cognitive computerized tests were used: Stroop Color and Word Test, Digit Span Test, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, and Continious Performance Test. The analysis of cognitive ability profiles reveals a wide range of heterogeneity in both clinical and control groups. It revealed that children with ADHD and combined ADHD and epilepsy have more profiles with lower cognitive abilities compared to control group. Some children with ADHD have similar cognitive profiles to those of typically developed children, suggesting that in some cases there may be a small difference in cognitive performance between ADHD and typically developed children.

Keywords: ADHD, cognitive abilities, executive functions, attention deficit and hiperactivity syndrome, epilepsy

In: Human, Technologies and Quality of Education, 2022. Proceedings of Scientific Papers = Cilvēks, tehnoloģijas un izglītības kvalitāte, 2022. Rakstu krājums
Riga, University of Latvia, 2022. 1135 p. Ed. L. Daniela
https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2022
ISBN 978-9934-18-911-1