1. Gomez Batista S, Marsden A, Carpenter L, Bradley CC, Ros-DeMarize R. I-PCIT Engagement and Outcomes in Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Behav Ther. 2026; 57(5): 875-88.

Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based behavioral parent training program that has shown efficacy in reducing disruptive behaviors for children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and developmental delays. The current study examined the impact of child and parent characteristics on (a) treatment completion and engagement (b) child behavioral outcomes, and (c) parenting outcomes. Participants included 68 parent-child dyads (children aged 2-6) with NDD diagnoses who participated in a time-limited version of internet-delivered PCIT (I-PCIT). Measures included treatment attrition, homework completion, parent reports of parenting strategies, child behavior, and parenting stress, as well as coded observations of parent use of treatment skills and child compliance. Treatment engagement findings indicated that parents of children with a diagnosis of ADHD and children with higher receptive language levels were more likely to complete treatment. Few predictors of child treatment outcomes were identified. Child ASD diagnosis was predictive of lesser improvement in only parent-reported outcome (i.e., laxness) but not observed outcomes. Parents with a diagnosis of depression demonstrated the greatest engagement and positive outcomes as defined by higher rates of treatment completion and greater improvement in parenting practices. Results underscore that I-PCIT is a robust treatment option with relatively comparable outcomes across diagnostic populations, and highlight that certain clinical presentations may facilitate treatment completion and outcomes. Future work should explore how clinical characteristics and factors may be useful in matching patients to treatment delivery modality.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. Gorgan RA, Ştefǎnuţ TT, Gorgan D. Computational analysis of heart rate variability in ASD and ADHD: a systematic review. Front Comput Neurosci. 2026; 20: 1911271.

Heart rate variability (HRV) represents a rich physiological signal that captures the computational dynamics of autonomic regulation. Emerging evidence suggests that atypical autonomic control contributes to the neurocognitive phenotype of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the characterization of HRV alterations in these populations remains incomplete. This review was motivated by the broader research context of the EMPOWER project, funded through the Horizon Europe program, which investigates technology-supported approaches for children with NDD, including smartwatch-based physiological sensing and machine-learning analysis of heart rate, HRV, skin temperature, and photoplethysmography signals during cognitive and relaxation tasks. The present manuscript does not report EMPOWER empirical data. Instead, it systematically synthesizes previously published studies on HRV in pediatric ASD and ADHD. The review examines how HRV has been acquired, processed, modeled, and interpreted in pediatric NDD research, with particular attention to nonlinear signal properties, computational approaches, and interactions between autonomic regulation and cognitive processes. Following PRISMA guidelines, the review surveyed publications over the past decade and included 24 empirical studies from five major databases. ASD studies most often indicated altered vagally mediated HRV and autonomic reactivity, whereas ADHD studies more often suggested task-dependent changes linked to attentional control. Cross-study comparability was constrained by substantial heterogeneity in preprocessing pipelines, feature extraction procedures, and analytical frameworks. Despite these methodological inconsistencies, current evidence supports HRV as a promising physiological signal marker of autonomic dysregulation in pediatric NDD. Nevertheless, the field requires standardized signal processing protocols and reproducible modeling approaches to elucidate the mechanistic and predictive relevance of HRV in ASD and ADHD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Khan YS, Khan AW, Sadiq K, Bachlani A, Farrow J, Wadoo O. Bridging gaps in ADHD care globally: lessons from the NHS England independent taskforce report. Br J Psychiatry. 2026: 1-5.

The management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) continues to burden healthcare systems globally. This challenge is compounded by fragmented care pathways and escalating waiting times. In England, the NHS commissioned an independent taskforce to review existing ADHD services, understand the challenges in care and make recommendations for system-wide reform. It furnished its final report in 2025, documenting a comprehensive vision for reform. The report stresses substantial unmet needs, persistent underdiagnosis, variation in service provision and the wider implications of untreated ADHD. This paper examines the taskforce’s recommendations and how they are relevant to ADHD care. It highlights its key strengths, such as advocacy for a needs-led, cross-sector approach covering healthcare, education, employment, justice systems and data infrastructure. Several challenges, including sustained funding commitments, poor consistency around diagnostic standards and limited guidance on National Health Service and private sector integration, are also discussed. It points out crucial areas such as medication oversight and the role of emerging technologies. Although the taskforce offers a credible reform framework overall, a consistent, well-resourced and measurable effort is required before the vision can be materialised. The lessons outlined may also be relevant internationally in addressing gaps in ADHD care and improving long-term outcomes.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Panagiotidis-Arrizabalaga A, Lavalle A, Teruel MA, Sanchis J, Ruiz-Robledillo N, Costa-López B. Serious Game-Based Attention Assessment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents: Preliminary Cross-Sectional Convergent Validation Study. JMIR Serious Games. 2026; 14: e80441.

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children, characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that significantly disrupt daily functioning. Comprehensive ADHD assessment requires multimethod and multi-informant evaluation, and objective attention measures can complement this process. Serious game-based assessments may further support this process by combining structured task mechanics and dynamic audiovisual guidance in a child-oriented digital environment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and validate Attention Robots, a serious game designed for assessing behavioral attention indicators in children and adolescents. The goal was to examine whether its outputs corresponded with indicators from the widely used D2-R Test of Attention as preliminary evidence of convergent validity. METHODS: In this preliminary cross-sectional convergent validation study, 58 participants (34 male and 24 female individuals) aged 6-18 years, recruited through clinical referral and community sources, completed Attention Robots followed by the D2-R test. The original group variable, assigned by the project psychologists, identified 19 participants in the experimental group and 39 participants in the control group. Attention Robots presents timed rows of robot stimuli and asks participants to identify and select predefined target robots. Spearman and Pearson correlations compared working speed, omissions, commissions, concentration, and precision across both instruments. RESULTS: Primary cross-test correlations were positive. Spearman correlations were observed for working speed (ρ=0.905, 95% CI 0.84-0.94; P<.001), omissions (ρ=0.333, 95% CI 0.08-0.54; P=.01), commissions (ρ=0.496, 95% CI 0.27-0.67; P<.001), concentration (ρ=0.926, 95% CI 0.88-0.96; P<.001), and precision (ρ=0.607, 95% CI 0.41-0.75; P<.001). Pearson correlations showed a similar pattern for working speed (r=0.911, 95% CI 0.85-0.95; P<.001), omissions (r=0.278, 95% CI 0.02-0.50; P=.04), commissions (r=0.396, 95% CI 0.15-0.59; P=.002), concentration (r=0.922, 95% CI 0.87-0.95; P<.001), and precision (r=0.574, 95% CI 0.37-0.72; P<.001). These findings support preliminary convergent correspondence between corresponding behavioral indicators, but they do not establish interchangeability, discriminative validity, diagnostic use, or superior engagement or acceptability. CONCLUSIONS: Attention Robots provides preliminary evidence of convergent validity with the D2-R for behavioral attention indicators in children and adolescents. The innovative aspect of this study is the translation of D2-R-based attentional demands into a child-oriented serious game environment with robot-based stimuli, dynamic audiovisual guidance, and structured behavioral data capture. Unlike previous digital or serious game approaches, this study empirically compares game-derived indicators with corresponding indicators from an established attention test rather than evaluating only task feasibility, engagement, or intervention effects. This work contributes to the field by providing a preliminary validation of a serious game format that may support the collection of objective attention-related data in children and adolescents. In applied contexts, Attention Robots could be further developed as a complementary tool within multimethod ADHD assessment, although larger studies are required to evaluate subgroup performance, agreement, diagnostic use, and user experience before clinical adoption.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Pritchard AE, Warwick R, Gornik AE. What Matters to Caregivers of Youth With ADHD: Defining the Minimum Clinically Important Difference for Sleep Treatment. J Atten Disord. 2026: 10870547261483451.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep problems are common among youth with ADHD, and they worsen symptoms as well as day-to-day functioning. As a result, they are of significant concern to caregivers, who are often the ones making treatment decisions. The goal of this study is to understand what caregivers of youth with ADHD and sleep problems want out of treatment. METHODS: One hundred caregivers of clinically-referred youth ages 5 to 18 with a diagnosis of ADHD and reported sleep difficulties completed a 29-item survey covering three domains: (a) the severity of their child’s ADHD and sleep symptoms; (b) the importance of improvement in specific ADHD and sleep symptoms; and (c) the degree of improvement in ADHD and sleep symptoms that would be necessary in order for them to feel that treatment was meaningful (i.e., the Minimum Clinically Important Difference or MCID). RESULTS: Overall, improvement in ADHD symptoms, day-to-day functioning, and sleep symptoms were all reported to be at least somewhat important by the majority of caregivers, though they viewed improvements in ADHD symptoms and functioning as more important than sleep symptoms. Among sleep symptoms, longer duration of sleep and maintaining sleep throughout the night were rated as particularly important areas for improvement. The median MCID endorsed by caregivers was 30 min for sleep onset, earlier bedtime, and later waketime, and 48 min for total sleep time; and the median MCID for ADHD symptoms, emotional functioning, and physical health was 50% improvement. Severity of ADHD symptoms and sleep difficulties were positively correlated with caregiver ratings of the importance of improvement across most areas and with the magnitude of the MCID. CONCLUSION: The variability in patient preferences and priorities found in this study highlights the importance of explicitly addressing these issues at the start of treatment and of accounting for them in treatment-focused research.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. van der Plas NE, Noordermeer SDS, Hartman CA, Hoekstra PJ, Rommelse NNJ, Sprooten E, Oosterlaan J, Luman M. Long-term outcomes of childhood ADHD stimulant use trajectories. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2026; 113: 113861.

Stimulant medication is the first-line pharmacological treatment option for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, long-term effects remain unclear. Therefore, we explored long-term (>12 years) outcomes of childhood stimulant medication use, using data from the Dutch NeuroIMAGE cohort. Childhood (up to M(age)=16.14, SD(age)=3.48) stimulant treatment trajectories were detected using K-means clustering based on age at initiation, stop age, total and maximum daily dose, and duration and variability of stimulant use in 324 children. The trajectories were compared across seven domains of adult outcomes (controlling for multiple testing) including psychiatric status, behavioral and emotional functioning, academic and professional functioning, adaptive functioning, neurocognitive functioning, physical health, and healthcare service use. At follow-up, 143 adults with childhood ADHD (M(age)=28.34, SD(age)=3.74, 65% males) were part of three stimulant treatment trajectory groups: early-and-intense (n = 46), late-and-moderate (n = 63), and stimulant-naïve (n = 34). The three groups did not differ on any of the 51 adult outcomes and findings did not change after controlling for age and sex, except that a significant group difference emerged for callous and unemotional traits (behavioral and emotional functioning domain). More specifically, the early-and-intense and late-and-moderate groups had more favorable scores compared to stimulant-naïve group, although this may partly reflect pre-existing group differences. The main findings did not change after controlling for ADHD medication use at wave IV. Overall, stimulant medication use in childhood did not predict long-term outcomes in those with childhood ADHD in our sample, suggesting that there may be no lasting effects of stimulants on many long-term functional outcomes.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. van der Wulp I, Struiksma M, Wijnen F. Statistical learning and rhythmic ability in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Individual differences outweigh group effects. Acta Psychol (Amst). 2026; 270: 107622.

Speech segmentation is fundamental to language acquisition and supported by statistical learning (SL). Research on SL is inconclusive as to whether it can occur outside the scope of attention and whether SL is impaired in individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, individual differences in SL are hypothesized to be influenced by other cognitive abilities such as musical rhythmic ability (RA) and phonological working memory (WM), which previous literature indicated may be impaired in ADHD. The current study investigated SL in participants diagnosed with ADHD (N = 41) and neurotypical (N = 118) peers, exposing them to an artificial language and assessing SL both during exposure using EEG-measures of neural entrainment, as well as behaviorally after exposure. Furthermore, we explored whether multiple tasks assessing RA and WM were related to SL ability, and how SL related to vocabulary size. Bayesian statistical evidence indicated absence of group differences on SL, RA, WM, and vocabulary. Instead, individual variability outweighed group effects. Combining the groups yielded anecdotal evidence for a positive correlation between SL and vocabulary size, but not between SL and RA or WM. These results suggest that SL operates comparably in our samples of neurotypical individuals and individuals with ADHD, and was not found to be related to tasks assessing RA or WM. Notably, our sample consisted of mostly female participants in both groups. Future studies may want to further examine gender differences in ADHD symptoms and take a dimensional approach to ADHD symptomatology in relation to individual differences in SL ability.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

8. Vigod SN, Zipursky J, Babujee A, Barker LC, Bolea-Alamanac B, Clark CT, Cohen E, Dennis CL, Feldman M, Gomes T, Habib S, Lu H, Maxwell C, Patrikar A, Ray JG, Saunders N, Toulany A, Xie A, Brown HK. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and perinatal mental illness: a population-based study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2026.

PURPOSE: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects ~ 2% of reproductive-aged women, yet the impact of ADHD on perinatal psychiatric outcomes remains poorly understood. We aimed to determine the risk for mental illness in pregnancy and until 1 year postpartum among pregnant people with ADHD. METHODS: In this population-based observational cohort study (2013-2024) in Ontario, Canada, we compared pregnancies with and without a history of maternal ADHD on risk of perinatal mental illness overall, by diagnostic category, and for acute care (psychiatric emergency department visits and hospitalization). We generated adjusted relative risks (aRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for maternal age, parity, infant sex, immigration status, income, rurality, non-ADHD preconception mental illness, and year of delivery. RESULTS: Among those with ADHD (n = 22,995), 50.2% were diagnosed with perinatal mental illness whereas among those without ADHD (n = 1,028,038), only 24.0% were diagnosed, an aRR of 1.35 (95%CI 1.33-1.38). ADHD was associated with elevated risk for anxiety (41.7% vs. 20.7%; aRR 1.34, 1.31-1.37), depressive (14.4% vs. 5.0%; aRR 1.65, 1.59-1.71), substance and alcohol use (6.3% vs. 1.4%; aRR 1.71, 1.61-1.80); bipolar (4.4% vs. 1.0%; aRR 2.29, 2.14-2.45) and psychotic disorders (1.2% vs. 0.3%; aRR 2.37, 2.10-2.68), as well as with psychiatric ED visits (8.2% vs. 1.6%; aRR 1.98, 1.88-2.08) and psychiatric hospitalizations (2.4% vs. 0.4%; aRR 2.26, 2.06-2.48). CONCLUSIONS: Perinatal mental illness and the need for acute perinatal mental health care are elevated among those with ADHD, highlighting the need for targeted supports and services to enhance prevention and early identification in this group.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

9. Wettstein R, Navarro-Ovando V, Janke V, Mathôt R, Dumont G. Long-term effects of cognitive behavioural therapy on the quality of life in adult ADHD. PLoS One. 2026; 21(8): e0356825.

This study examined the long-term effects (4-8 years) of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), added to pharmacotherapy and psychoeducation (PE), on quality of life (QoL) in adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Although previous findings showed no added QoL benefit of CBT immediately post-treatment, CBT provides skill-building and coping strategies that may yield delayed benefits in terms of ADHD-related functional impairments. We hypothesize that CBT will provide delayed treatment gains and thus results in higher QoL at follow-up or a slower decline in QoL over time. A follow-up study was conducted with 627 adults from a prior cohort that evaluated short-term CBT outcomes. Of these, 159 participants completed a long-term follow-up survey assessing QoL using the Adult ADHD Quality of Life scale (AAQoL). A linear mixed model revealed no significant treatment or treatment-by-time effects for the total AAQoL or its subdomains. However, a significant effect of time was observed across all measures. Post hoc comparisons indicated an increase in QoL from baseline (pooled mean = 44.4; PsyEd: 46.4, PsyEd + CBT: 42.4) to post-treatment (69.3), followed by a decline at follow-up (52.1), which remained above baseline levels. No significant between-group differences were found in the proportion of participants achieving clinically meaningful QoL improvements over time. These findings suggest that this study does not provide evidence for an added long-term QoL benefit of CBT beyond PE and pharmacotherapy, whereas initial treatment was associated with sustained improvement. Continued care beyond initial treatment may help maintain gains in adults with ADHD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

10. Wong A, Goh PK, Nakamura BJ, Mellor GS, Matsunaka K, Xu Y. Measurement Equivalence of an ADHD Screening Tool Across Diverse Racial and Ethnic Children. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol. 2026; 54(5).

Despite prior work evidencing racial and ethnic differences in parent-reported ratings of ADHD symptoms, there is limited work suggesting that these reflect true differences rather than a product of nonequivalent measurement properties in screening tools. The current study aimed to further explore this using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Hyperactivity-Inattention Subscale (SDQ-HI; Goodman, 1997) by first analyzing its factor structure and subsequently assessing for measurement invariance and latent mean differences. Participants were parents of 6,673 children aged 4-17 years (M(age) = 11.10 years, SD = 4.06) from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey. The sample was inclusive of White, Hispanic/Latinx, Black, and Asian children. A series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) was used to establish the factor structure of the parent-reported version of the SDQ-HI and determine configural invariance across racial and ethnic groups. The alignment optimization approach was then employed to examine measurement invariance and compare latent means between groups. Initial results using data from the full sample indicated that a two-factor structure fit best. Additionally, the SDQ-HI was deemed invariant across races and ethnicities, except for threshold differences in restless and overactive behaviors between Hispanic/Latinx and White children. Asian children, on average, were rated as having lower levels of inattention compared to all other racial and ethnic groups. Findings from this study supported the use of the SDQ-HI as a screening tool across racial and ethnic groups and provided important implications for considering cultural influences toward parents’ approaches to rating ADHD behaviors.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

11. Yergeau M, Daoust J, Legendre M, Pelletier M, Biertho L, Tchernof A, Michaud A, Bégin C. A longitudinal investigation of eating behavior, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and weight loss outcomes following bariatric surgery. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2026.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective treatment for sustained weight loss, yet postoperative outcomes vary. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may influence eating behaviors and outcomes, but its role after MBS remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To examine changes in eating behaviors and ADHD symptoms from before surgery to 4 and 12 months after surgery, compare baseline profiles by ADHD symptom level, and test whether ADHD symptoms moderate associations between eating behaviors and 12 months excess weight loss (EWL). SETTING: University hospital bariatric surgery center, Quebec City, Canada. METHODS: Seventy-five adults with severe obesity undergoing MBS were assessed at baseline and at 4 and 12 months postoperatively. Measures included the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, Beck Depression Inventory II, and anthropometric data. Repeated-measures analyses examined longitudinal changes, and multiple linear regression models tested moderation. RESULTS: Mean EWL was 46.8% at 4 months and 75.3% at 12 months. Dietary restraint increased from baseline to 4 months and remained stable at 12 months, whereas disinhibition decreased and remained low. ADHD symptoms remained stable across time. At baseline, participants who screened positive for ADHD (n = 6, 8.0%) showed distinct profiles, including higher dietary restraint, lower disinhibition, lower body mass index, and more depressive symptoms. ADHD symptoms did not moderate associations between eating behaviors and EWL. However, higher dietary restraint at baseline and 4 months predicted less 12-month EWL. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD symptoms were associated with distinct baseline psychobehavioral profiles but did not influence weight loss outcomes. Dietary restraint emerged as a clinically relevant predictor of poorer 12-month EWL after MBS.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

12. Yu T, Wang P, Zheng Z, Zhao K, Yan G, Song J, Yi X, Yang S, Jiang Z. ADHD-anchored partitioning of non-small cell lung cancer genetic covariance identifies CLPTM1L and suggestive innate-immune signals. Front Immunol. 2026; 17: 1913958.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show an elevated incidence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), usually attributed to smoking. Innate immune activation and chronic inflammation are implicated in both, yet whether shared germline genetics include a component statistically independent of the measured current-smoking phenotype, and whether that liability has an innate immune dimension, remains unclear. METHODS: We applied genomic structural equation modelling to GWAS summary statistics to partition genetic covariance into indirect and conditional direct components with respect to measured current smoking. Among twelve psychiatric and personality traits, only ADHD survived FDR and served as the primary exposure; neuroticism was retained as a secondary exploratory indicator. Component statistics underwent gene-level and tissue-enrichment analyses. We estimated ADHD and NSCLC genetic correlations with inflammatory biomarkers, tested the NSCLC signal for innate-pathway enrichment, and examined CLPTM1L response to non-nicotine stress in lung adenocarcinoma cells. RESULTS: We found that CLPTM1L, IREB2 and the chromosome 15q25 nicotinic-receptor cluster were prioritised within a component statistically independent of the measured current-smoking phenotype, corresponding to approximately 38% of the model-based shared genetic covariance, with lung and brain enrichment. Pathway and biomarker analyses suggested an innate immune and inflammatory dimension, but did not establish a mechanism. ADHD and NSCLC were each positively genetically correlated with C-reactive protein (ADHD rg=0.26, P=8.2×10(-)¹³; NSCLC rg=0.13, P = 0.0074); additional inflammatory-trait comparisons were exploratory. The NSCLC signal showed nominal enrichment of innate pattern-recognition-receptor and NF-κB/antiviral pathways. In A549 cells, CLPTM1L protein increased under genotoxic and hypoxic stress, with immunofluorescence 3.4-fold and 2.3-fold above control. CONCLUSIONS: An approximate model-based component of the ADHD-NSCLC genetic covariance was statistically independent of the measured current-smoking phenotype; pathway and biomarker analyses suggested, but did not establish, an innate immune and inflammatory dimension alongside the 15q25 cholinergic axis. CLPTM1L expression was responsive in a non-nicotine pathological cell state, without evidence of mediation or causality. These hypothesis-generating findings nominate innate-immune hypotheses for functional follow-up.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)