[Disturbances of executive functions in children with emotional and behavioral dysregulation].

OBJECTIVE

To study a role of executive functions in the development of organic emotionally labile (asthenic) disorder (OELD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The study included 66 patients, aged 6 to 8 years, including 36 children with OELD and 30 children with ODD. Fatigue was assessed by parents on a 10-point digital rating scale. SNAP-IV questionnaire for evaluation of severity of behavioral disorders, the "Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire" for assessment of emotional and behavioral disorders, the anxiety test of P. Temple, M. Dorkey and V. Amen, A.R. Luria test for auditory-speech memory and the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) were used.

RESULTS AND

CONCLUSION

A significantly greater severity of cognitive and emotional impairment in the group of children with OELD is identified. The data suggest that if the insufficiency of functions regulating the activation of behavior and impaired cognitive control of behavior is important in the pathogenesis of OELD, then behavioral self-regulation disorders associated with emotional reinforcement play a leading role in children with ODD.