RESUMEN
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit more executive function (EF) deficits compared to typically developing (TD) peers. EF deficits are linked to various impairments in daily functioning and increased parental stress. The first aim of the present study is to investigate EFs in children with ASD and ADHD compared to their TD peers. The second aim is to explore profiles of executive functions in children with ASD and ADHD and, finally, to determine the differences of EF profiles in relation to parental stress and children's functional impairments. METHODS: The sample comprised 30 TD children, 47 children with ASD, and 34 children with ADHD, aged 8 to 12 years. Parents completed questionnaires of parenting stress, and children's social and daily-life functioning. Parents and teachers reported information about children's EF. RESULTS: The results indicated significantly greater impairment of EFs in the clinical groups compared to the TD group. Moreover, three distinct clusters of functioning were identified based on the severity of reported EF difficulties. The significant findings showed that children with more severe EF profiles were associated with greater daily impairment and higher levels of perceived parental stress. CONCLUSIONS: Given the impact of EF deficits on the lives of children with ASD and ADHD and their families, it is crucial that studies like this enhance our understanding and inspire future interventions aimed at improving executive functions in children with ASD and ADHD. Such interventions could help reduce parental stress and improve daily functioning.
RESUMEN
High levels of parenting stress have been detected in mothers of children with Autism (ASD) and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comparing with mothers of typically developing (TD) children. The current study explored the implications of social support (confidant and affective support) and child characteristics (emotional, behavioral and sleep problems) on parenting stress in ASD and ADHD. Furthermore, the differences between mothers of children with autism, ADHD and TD on the studied variables were examined.A total of 120 mothers of 30 TD children, 47 with ASD without intellectual disability and 43 with ADHD collaborated in the study. Significant differences were found between clinical and TD groups in parenting stress, social support, and child characteristics.Correlation analysis in the group with ADHD revealed that parental stress correlated significantly with social support and with children's emotional problems. In the ASD group, parental stress also correlated significantly with children's sleep and behavioral problems. Moreover, multiple regressions showed that confidant support was a significant predictor of parenting stress in both clinical groups.The findings provide new insights to consider social support as a fundamental part of treatments for parenting stress in mothers of children with ASD and ADHD.