Comparison of Executive Functions, Social Skills and Parental Behaviors in Children with and Without Special Needs: Cross-Sectional Study

Akyürek, Gökçen; SİPAHİ, Büşra · 2022 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.5336/healthsci.2021-86540

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Summary

This cross-sectional study compares executive functions, social skills, and parental behaviors between children with special needs and those with typical development, aiming to identify differences and examine the relationships between these factors. The research addresses a gap in the literature, as previous studies had not simultaneously compared these groups or analyzed the interplay between parental behavior and child development in both populations. The study was conducted with 159 parents of children aged 7–12, selected via snowball sampling. The sample included 56 parents of children with special needs (including autism, specific learning difficulties, ADHD, and Down syndrome) and 103 parents of typically developing children. Data were collected using a sociodemographic form, the Social Skills Assessment Scale, the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory, and the Alabama Parental Behaviors Scale. The results revealed significant differences between the two groups in favor of typically developing children regarding executive functions, social skills, and parental behaviors. Specifically, children with special needs exhibited lower executive function scores and poorer performance in specific social skill domains, such as initiating and maintaining relationships, working in groups, giving instructions, and cognitive skills. No significant differences were found in basic social skills, basic and advanced speaking skills, emotional skills, self-control, handling aggressive behaviors, or accepting results. Regarding parental behaviors, significant differences were observed in total scores and subscales including interest in the child, weak parental monitoring, inconsistent discipline, and corporal punishment. Correlation analyses indicated distinct patterns between parental behaviors and child skills for each group. In both groups, a positive correlation existed between parental behaviors and the child’s social skills. However, the specific nature of this relationship differed: for children with special needs, parental attention was significantly correlated with speaking skills, whereas for typically developing children, it was correlated with broader social skills. No significant relationship was found between parental behaviors and executive functions in either group. The study concludes that children with special needs are at a disadvantage compared to their typically developing peers in terms of executive functions, social skills, and the quality of parental behaviors they experience. The findings highlight the critical role of parental attention, particularly for the speaking skills of children with special needs and the social skills of typically developing children. The authors recommend that therapists adopt a holistic perspective by observing parental behaviors and incorporating targeted interventions for parents into therapy programs to support child development effectively.

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• parental management