Seda ERBAŞ, Zeynep İrem ERBASAN, Nazlı Burcu ÖZBARAN
The Journal of Pediatric Research - 2026;13(1):51-57
Aim: Previous research has indicated that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often display differences in temperament. However, the relationship between temperament and both symptom severity and quality of life in preschoolers remains poorly understood. Materials and Methods: Temperament was assessed in 27 preschoolers with ADHD and 27 with ASD, and the results were compared with those of 27 typically developing peers. For this purpose, the Children's Behavior Questionnaire-Short Form and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory were administered. ASD symptom severity was measured using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, while ADHD symptom severity was evaluated with the Parent Assessment of Preschool Behavior Scale. Results: In the ADHD group, symptom severity was positively associated with extraversion and negatively associated with effortful control. Higher levels of negative affectivity and higher extraversion were linked to poorer Pediatric Quality of Life scores. In the ASD group, greater effortful control correlated with both lower symptom severity and higher overall quality of life. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that temperament traits in preschoolers with ASD and ADHD are associated with both symptom severity and quality of life. Given the limited sample size of this study, longitudinal studies are needed in order to confirm and expand upon these results.
