Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Internalising Problems in Children with ADHD in Federal Capital Territory

This study examines the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and internalising problems, including anxiety and depression, in children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the Federal Capital Territory. Children with ADHD present with heterogeneous symptom profiles, and emerging research suggests that emotion dysregulation may be a core feature rather than merely a secondary complication. This research employed a clinical cross-sectional design involving 115 children aged 7 to 14 years attending three neurodevelopmental clinics in Abuja, each with a confirmed ADHD diagnosis. Emotion regulation was assessed using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Parent Version, and internalising problems were evaluated with the Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist. Mediation and regression analyses tested whether emotion dysregulation mediated ADHD symptom severity's effect on internalising problems. Results indicate that emotion regulation difficulties fully mediate the relationship between ADHD symptom severity and both anxiety and depression scores. Children with combined-type ADHD showed greater emotion dysregulation compared to inattentive-type presentations. These findings have direct clinical implications, suggesting that emotion regulation training should be a priority component of ADHD intervention protocols in Nigerian paediatric mental health settings. The study fills an important research gap by providing locally grounded evidence for the emotion dysregulation dimension of ADHD in a Nigerian clinical sample. Keywords: ADHD, emotion regulation, internalising problems, children, Federal Capital Territory.