Identifying the Relationship Between Neurocognitive Functions and Quality of Life in Early Childhood Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background and Objective:

Numerous neurocognitive domains are frequently disrupted in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), which may have an impact on their quality of life (QoL). However, little is known about the precise neurocognitive determinants of quality of life and how they relate to family-centered, participation-focused rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to (1) investigate correlations between important neurocognitive functions (e.g., attention, executive function, social cognition, language) and overall and domain-specific quality of life and (2) assess if these interactions vary among children with particular NDD groups, ASD, ADHD, and CP.

Methods:

Sixty-four children with ASD, ADHD, and CP, between the ages of 6 and 8 years, who met the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, were included in this cross-sectional study. Standardized tests such as NEPSY-II, BRIEF-2, digit span, and trail making were used to measure neurocognitive functioning, and PedsQL was used to measure quality of life (QoL) using both child- and caregiver-reported versions where developmentally appropriate. To identify the neurocognitive domains that best predicted QoL results, primary analyses included regression, correlation, and group comparison.

Results:

The QoL domain, such as social functioning, was significantly positively correlated with executive function (r = 645, p <.05). According to regression analysis, 74% of the variance in overall QoL scores was explained by attention. There were differences between the NDD groups, with the ASD group exhibiting weaker correlations between QoL and executive function (p<.01).

Conclusion:

Our results show that certain neurocognitive processes, especially, e.g., executive control and attention, are crucial in determining children with NDDs' quality of life. These findings provide credence to the incorporation of neuroplasticity-based, family-centered, participation-oriented rehabilitation strategies that prioritize daily activity engagement, social interaction, and communication over deficit normalization. For children with NDDs, focusing on these neurocognitive areas may offer a significant route to improving functional outcomes and practical quality of life.