Emotion Regulation and Executive Functions: Impacts on Women with ADHD

Abstract

This poster describes the impact of emotion regulation (ER) on executive functions (EF) between women with and without ADHD. Compared to women without ADHD, women with ADHD exhibited significantly greater EF deficits [t(106) = -12.94, p d = 2.6], poorer ER [t(106) = 3.04, p = .002, d = .6], poorer perceived cognitive flexibility (CFp) [t(106) = 3.07, p = .003, d = .6], and poorer actual cognitive flexibility (CFa) [t(106) = 2.38, p = .019, d = .5]. Furthermore, ER emerged as a significant predictor of EF [b = -.17, p < .001], demonstrating that as ER increases, difficulties associated with EF decrease. Overall, this research illustrates that women with ADHD have severe difficulties regulating their emotions compared to their counterparts without ADHD. Additionally, women with ADHD struggle more with executive functioning than those without ADHD, indicating difficulties with planning, focusing, organizing, and managing time in daily life. Women with ADHD also presented more difficulties with cognitive flexibility than women without ADHD, suggesting difficulties with multitasking, switching tasks, and adapting to change. Further research is crucial to explore the unique difficulties faced by women with ADHD to improve earlier intervention and inform individualized treatment.</p