A Comparative Study of Social Information Processing and Executive Functioning in Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder and Typically Developing Children

Introduction: Examining the performance of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in each step of the social information processing and their executive functioning behaviors while comparing them to typically developing (TD) children and determining their limitations in these processes is important for reducing the future risks that children with ADHD may face in academic and social life. In this context, the aim of the study is to comparatively examine the social information processing and executive functioning behaviors of children with ADHD and TD children.Method: The study was conducted using a general survey model, which is one of the quantitative research designs. The participants of the study included 25 children diagnosed with ADHD, aged between 8 and 10, and 25 TD children of the same gender and age range. Additionally, 25 teachers and 50 parents participated in the study. The data collection tools used in the study were the Social Information Processing Assessment Form and the Parent and Teacher Form of the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF).Findings: The study findings showed significant differences between children with ADHD and TD children in all stages of the Social Information Processing Assessment Form. Similar significant differences were also found in all the sub-scales and sub-dimensions of the Parent and Teacher Form of the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions. The relationships between social information processing skills and executive functioning skills also revealed significant associations between some sub-stages of the Social Information Processing Skills Assessment Form and some sub-dimensions of the Parent and Teacher Form of the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions.Discussion: The findings indicate that children with ADHD experience limitations in each of the six steps of the Social Information Processing Model and in some sub-dimensions of executive functions when compared to their TD peers. The findings emphasize the significance of the relationships between social information processing and executive functioning in the development of social and academic skills in children with ADHD.