Empathy and Executive Functioning in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

dc.contributor.advisorClimie, Emma A.
dc.contributor.authorFriesen, Kelsey
dc.contributor.committeememberSchwartz, Kelly Dean
dc.contributor.committeememberWilcox, Gabrielle
dc.date2019-11
dc.date.accessioned2019-09-06T18:49:48Z
dc.date.available2019-09-06T18:49:48Z
dc.date.issued2019-08-30
dc.description.abstractThe current study investigated the relationship between levels of empathy and executive functioning (EF; specifically attention, inhibition, working memory) in children with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Children with ADHD often experience impairments in EF. In addition to EF challenges, socioemotional deficits are frequently reported in these children. Successful social interaction relies on a child’s ability to understand the minds of other individuals, a term referred to as social cognition. The present study focused on empathy, one particular component of social cognition. Previous research exploring empathy has identified both an affective and a cognitive factor, which are now considered to be separate components of empathy. Explorations of empathy in children with ADHD have revealed mixed findings, with some studies reporting no differences in the empathy levels of children with and without ADHD. In contrast, a number of other studies have found impaired empathy in individuals with ADHD. The results of recent studies in developmental psychology point to an association between EF and social cognition. The present study included a final sample of 45 children, 20 with ADHD and 25 typically developing (TD), between the ages of 8 and 12 years. The Comprehensive Executive Function Inventory – Parent Report (CEFI-PR) was used to measure attention, inhibition, and working memory, and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) was used to assess cognitive, affective, and total empathy. Overall, the present study demonstrated that children with ADHD have significantly lower levels of self-reported cognitive empathy when compared to TD children. The same pattern was observed in total empathy. No such differences were found in affective empathy scores. The study also confirmed that children with ADHD perform lower than TD children on EF measures of attention, inhibition, and working memory. Finally, the current study demonstrated a significant positive correlation between both total and cognitive empathy and the EFs of attention, inhibitory control, and working memory across all participants.en_US
dc.identifier.citationFriesen, K. (2019). Empathy and Executive Functioning in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/36948
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/110870
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisher.facultyWerklund School of Educationen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)en_US
dc.subjectEmpathyen_US
dc.subjectExecutive Functioningen_US
dc.subjectChildrenen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducational Psychologyen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Elementaryen_US
dc.titleEmpathy and Executive Functioning in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorderen_US
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEducation Graduate Program – Educational Psychologyen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrueen_US
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