[Deficient adaptive regulation of emotion in children with ADHD]

Abstract

Objectives: The current study investigates whether children with and without ADHD differ in their implementation of emotion-regulation strategies. In addition, it explores whether the regulation patterns of ADHD children are related to co-occurring behavioral and emotional problems.

Methods: A group of 21 children with ADHD and a group of 20 children without ADHD (ages 10-13) completed the Questionnaire on Emotion Regulation in Children and Adolescents (FEEL-KJ, Grob & Smolenski, 2005). Furthermore, we employed the parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Woerner, Becker & Rothenberger, 2004) to assess the socioemotional problems of ADHD children.

Results: Self-reports revealed group differences in terms of adaptive emotion regulation, though no group differences were found in terms of maladaptive emotion regulation. Specifically, children with ADHD reported less frequently applying the strategies "Cognitive Problem Solving," "Problem-Oriented Acting," "Mood Enhancement," "Reevaluation," and "Distraction." Children with ADHD also reported seeking social support less frequently than the controls. Moreover, significant negative correlations were found between adaptive coping and co-occurring behavioral and emotional problems.

Conclusions: Children with and without ADHD specifically differ in their application of problem-oriented emotion-regulation strategies, especially those ADHD children suffer from co-occurring problems who particularly infrequently apply adaptive emotion regulation strategies.