Cognição social e funções executivas em crianças com TDAH

Abstract

The term Social Cognition (SC) is used to designate the set of cognitive functions, and structures responsible for the processing, as well as for the expression of social information; and has been observed as an impact factor on quality of life. They have also been observed as predictors of positive aspects of well-being: the Executive Functions (EF), these are fundamental for the competent development of self-regulation, planning and achievement of goals. These two variables, Social Cognition and Executive Functions, present profiles of atypical functioning in the presence of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), whose main symptoms are inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Given this context, a descriptive-correlational research was carried out in order to verify if there is a relationship between the three variables: ADHD, EF and CS; and whether Social Cognition may have a mediating effect on the relationship between ADHD and EF. The sample for this study was non-probabilistic, chosen by convenience, consisting of 30 individuals, aged between 5 and 8 years old, of both sexes; students regularly enrolled in public and private schools, studying between pre-school and the 4th year of elementary school. To achieve the aforementioned objective, the following tasks were used as instruments: Hearts and Flowers, Returning home, João's path and the Test of Incomplete Stories, answered by the participants, to evaluate respectively: inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, working memory and socially skilled responses. The SNAP-IV was also used to track the core symptoms of ADHD through responses from those responsible; and the Socially Skilled Responses Questionnaire Parent Version (QRSH-Parents). The applications were carried out through virtual collection protocols, given the biosecurity measures in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. For such collections, the survey was disseminated through social networks, enabling the voluntary participation of parents who expressed interest. Once collected, the data were analyzed for correlation, regression and mediator effect. It was possible to conclude that most items of the QRSH-Pais instrument had an impact on the CS variable; as well as that the CS variable had a mediating effect on the relationship between ADHD and EF.