Executive function's influence on problem behaviors in children with mild traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND

Previous research has consistently demonstrated an increased prevalence of behavioral problems among children with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). However, the underlying mechanisms and contributing factors, particularly the role of executive function, remain insufficiently understood and require further investigation.

METHODS

We conducted moderation analyses using data on executive function and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) from a sample of 10,805 children aged 9-11 years old participating in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study to examine the impact of executive function on problem behaviors. The executive function tasks included the 2-back task, flanker task, and dimensional change card sort (DCCS) task, which assessed working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, respectively.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed that for children with low levels of working memory (especially female children) and inhibition (especially male children), those with mTBI demonstrated significantly more behavioral problems compared to their counterparts. Importantly, this association was substantially attenuated in children with high levels of working memory and inhibition.

CONCLUSION

Our results revealed that executive function (specifically working memory and inhibition) serves as a significant protective factor moderating the association between mTBI and problem behaviors in children.