ABSTRACT
This chapter illustrates the influence of comorbidity on the psychological profiles of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. A number of non-artifactual based reasons have been proposed to explain comorbidity. The influence of this comorbidity on the social cognitive profile of children with ion Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) will be an important focus and that will be given to research papers that have compared both disorders with the inclusion of the additive disorder. The neuropsychological literature on ADHD over the last fifteen years or so has predominantly focussed on executive functions to explain the cognitive difficulties of children with ADHD. Very few comparative studies have examined social cognitive functioning across ADHD and comorbid groups. Studies that have examined social cognitive functioning within ADHD samples suggest impairments in some areas and not others. The disorder is characterised by persistent symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that impact negatively on many aspects of functioning and development.
