Child Neuropsychology[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Generalizability of the Swedish WISC-V to the Finland-Swedish minority - the FinSwed study.
Rosenqvist J, Slama S, Haavisto A
Child Neuropsychol · 2025 Jan · PMID 38526303 · Publisher ↗
International guidelines highlight the importance of using appropriate and culturally fair test materials when conducting clinical psychological assessments. In the present study, the generalizability of the Swedish WISC...
International guidelines highlight the importance of using appropriate and culturally fair test materials when conducting clinical psychological assessments. In the present study, the generalizability of the Swedish WISC-V with Scandinavian normative data was explored in 6-16-year-old Swedish-speaking children in Finland ( = 134), as no local test versions or norms are available for this minority. First, metric measurement invariance was established, i.e., the constructs measured were equivalent between the standardization data and the present sample. Second, the performance of this minority group on the Swedish WISC-V was compared to the Scandinavian normative mean. The findings showed that the Finland-Swedish children performed overall higher than the normative mean on the Swedish WISC-V, with an FSIQ of 103. The performance was significantly higher also in the indexes VSI, FRI, and WMI as well as in several subtests. However, in the subtest Vocabulary, the Finland-Swedish children achieved significantly lower scores than the Scandinavian mean. Further analyses showed significant associations between cognitive performance and age as well as parental education. For the VCI and the FSIQ, performance increased significantly with age, despite the use of age-standardized scaled scores. The general high performance was suggested to relate to the overall high educational level of the Finland-Swedes as well as to other cultural and test-related factors. The results have implications for clinicians conducting assessments with this minority, but also highlight the importance of establishing test fairness by validating tests when used in different cultural groups.
A short executive functioning questionnaire in the context of early childhood screening: psychometric properties.
Palmer AR, Kalstabakken AW, Distefano R … +3 more , Carlson SM, Putnam SP, Masten AS
Child Neuropsychol · 2025 Jan · PMID 38511396 · Full text
Early childhood executive functioning (EF) predicts later adjustment and academic achievement. However, measuring EF consistently and efficiently across settings in early childhood can be challenging. Most researchers us...
Early childhood executive functioning (EF) predicts later adjustment and academic achievement. However, measuring EF consistently and efficiently across settings in early childhood can be challenging. Most researchers use task-based measures of EF, but these methods present practical challenges that impede implementation in some settings. The current study of 380 3-5-year-old children in the United States evaluated the psychometric properties of a new 14-item parent-reported measure of EF in a diverse urban school district. This questionnaire aimed to capture a normative range of EF skills in ecologically valid contexts. There was evidence for two specific subscales - one that measures children's EF challenges and another that measures children's EF skills. Results suggested that several items demonstrated differential item functioning by age and race. After adjusting for measurement differences across demographic groups and controlling for age at screening, the EF challenges subscale was more strongly related to task-based measures of EF than was the EF skills subscale. EF challenges predicted third-grade math achievement, controlling for demographic variables and a performance-based measure of children's early cognitive and academic skills. Results suggest that this parent report of EF could be a useful and effective early childhood screening tool.
White matter tract integrity in isolated oral clefts: relationship to cognition and reading skills.
Goodwin JW, Hopkins L, Conrad AL
Child Neuropsychol · 2025 Jan · PMID 38501945 · Full text
Children with isolated cleft of the lip and/or palate (iCL/P) have been shown to be at risk for impaired reading ability. Structural and functional neuroimaging studies have revealed subtle morphological and functional a...
Children with isolated cleft of the lip and/or palate (iCL/P) have been shown to be at risk for impaired reading ability. Structural and functional neuroimaging studies have revealed subtle morphological and functional abnormalities correlated to cognition and reading ability. However, the integrity of white matter tracts and their potential relationship to reading performance in iCL/P is under-studied. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate white matter integrity related to cognition and reading skills among participants with and without iCL/P. Data from two cross-sectional, case/control studies with similar neuropsychological batteries and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) protocols were combined. The final sample included 210 participants (ages 7 to 27 years). Group and sex differences in fractional anisotropy (FA) values were examined between participants with ( = 105) and without ( = 105) iCL/P. Potential associations between FA values and age, cognition, and reading skills were also evaluated separately by group and sex. Sex effects were prominent in association and projection fibers, and effects of cleft status were found in association fibers and cerebellar regions, with isolated associations to reading skills. Findings provide preliminary understanding of microstructural associations to cognitive and reading performance among children, adolescents, and young adults with iCL/P.
The relevance of motor sequence and visual perception skills in learning Chinese handwriting.
Chang SH, Lin TY, Shie JJ … +1 more , Yu NY
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Nov · PMID 38497666 · Publisher ↗
This study explored visual perception skills and the ability to write according to standard stroke order and their links to the learning of Chinese handwriting. Thirty-seven children (aged 6-8) (15 boys and 22 girls) par...
This study explored visual perception skills and the ability to write according to standard stroke order and their links to the learning of Chinese handwriting. Thirty-seven children (aged 6-8) (15 boys and 22 girls) participated in a handwriting test and visual perception evaluation (Test of Visual Perceptual Skills-3rd Edition, TVPS-3). A computerized system was used to evaluate the stroke order accuracy, legibility, and automation of stroke movements. The stroke order accuracy was found to positively correlate with the scores of TVPS-3 ( = .498, < .05) and to significantly correlate with handwriting legibility ( = .435, < .05) as well as the automation of stroke movements ( = .494, < .01). This study revealed that visual perception skill is related to stroke order accuracy and provides directions to assist students who encounter difficulties in learning Chinese handwriting.
PENDAH program for parents with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. French adaptation of a behavioral parent training group: pilot study.
Marquet-Doleac J, Biotteau M, Tardy M … +6 more , Broquere M, Marizy E, Faure-Marie N, Lafin N, Dejean S, Chaix Y
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Nov · PMID 38456749 · Publisher ↗
Behavioral parent training (BPT) is recognized as an effective part of the care offered to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of this pilot study was to objectively examine the effect...
Behavioral parent training (BPT) is recognized as an effective part of the care offered to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of this pilot study was to objectively examine the effect that this intervention may have on motor activity, in addition to the measures classically found in this type of study. Parents of 24 school-aged children (6-12 year) with ADHD who met eligibility criteria were enrolled in the study. Before, after and five months after the intervention, we used three-dimensional accelerometers over one-week periods to measure the children's motor activity, and questionnaires for parental stress, quality of life, ADHD symptoms, anxiety and sensory disorders. To measure motor activity, a control group of normotypic children matched for age, sex and socio-professional category was set up. The experimental group showed slight decreases in motor activity compared with the control group, particularly in the classroom. The intervention showed improvements for parents in average stress and quality of life, and for children in average intensity global ADHD symptom, inattention, opposition and aggression, in line with previous studies on the effectiveness of BPT. The trial is the first clinical study to assess the effects of BPT on motor activity in children with ADHD.
Relationships between cortisol levels across early childhood and processing speed at age 4.5 years in children born very preterm.
McLean MA, Weinberg J, Synnes AR … +2 more , Miller SP, Grunau RE
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Nov · PMID 38406870 · Publisher ↗
Children born very low gestational age (VLGA, 29-32 weeks gestational age [GA]) display slower processing speed and altered hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function, with greater effects in those born extremely...
Children born very low gestational age (VLGA, 29-32 weeks gestational age [GA]) display slower processing speed and altered hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function, with greater effects in those born extremely low gestational age (ELGA; 24-28 weeks GA). We investigated trajectories of HPA axis activity as indexed by cortisol output and patterns across cognitive assessment at ages 1.5, 3 and 4.5 years, comparing children born ELGA and VLGA and associations with 4.5-year processing speed. In a prospective longitudinal cohort study, infants born very preterm (<33 weeks gestation) returned for developmental assessment at ages 1.5, 3, and 4.5 years. At each age, children completed standardized cognitive testing and saliva samples collected before (Pretest), during (During) and after (End) challenging cognitive tasks were assayed for cortisol. For the total group ( = 188), cortisol area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) decreased, while cortisol reactivity to challenge (Pre-test to During) increased from 1.5 to 3 years, remaining stable to 4.5 years. This longitudinal pattern was related to higher Processing Speed (WPPSI-IV) scores at 4.5 years. Children born ELGA displayed higher AUCg than VLGA, particularly at age 3, driven by higher Pre-test cortisol levels. Overall, relative to those born VLGA, children born ELGA displayed greater cortisol responsivity to cognitive challenge. A higher setpoint of cortisol levels at age 3-years in children born ELGA may reflect altered HPA axis regulation more broadly and may contribute to difficulties with information processing in this population, critical for academic and social success.
Connectivity-based neuromarker for children's inhibitory control ability and its relevance to body mass index.
Han J, Zhuang K, Chen X … +5 more , Xiao M, Liu Y, Song S, Gao X, Chen H
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Nov · PMID 38375872 · Publisher ↗
Preserving a normal body mass index (BMI) is crucial for the healthy growth and development of children. As a core aspect of executive functions, inhibitory control plays a pivotal role in maintaining a normal BMI, which...
Preserving a normal body mass index (BMI) is crucial for the healthy growth and development of children. As a core aspect of executive functions, inhibitory control plays a pivotal role in maintaining a normal BMI, which is key to preventing issues of childhood obesity. By studying individual variations in inhibitory control performance and its associated connectivity-based neuromarker in a sample of primary school students ( = 64; 9-12 yr), we aimed to unravel the pathway through which inhibitory control impacts children's BMI. Utilizing resting-state functional MRI scans and a connectivity-based psychometric prediction framework, we found that enhanced inhibitory control abilities were primarily associated with increased functional connectivity in brain structures vital to executive functions, such as the superior frontal lobule, superior parietal lobule, and posterior cingulate cortex. Conversely, inhibitory control abilities displayed a negative relationship with functional connectivity originating from reward-related brain structures, such as the orbital frontal and ventral medial prefrontal lobes. Furthermore, we revealed that both inhibitory control and its corresponding neuromarker can moderate the association between food-related delayed gratification and BMI in children. However, only the neuromarker of inhibitory control maintained its moderating effect on children's future BMI, as determined in the follow-up after one year. Overall, our findings shed light on the potential mechanisms of how inhibitory control in children impacts BMI, highlighting the utility of the connectivity-based neuromarker of inhibitory control in the context of childhood obesity.
Cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome with long-term features of autism spectrum disorder: evidence in a 9-year-old girl after vermian medulloblastoma surgery.
Taddei M, Bulgheroni S, Erbetta A … +3 more , Faccio F, Giorgi C, Riva D
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Oct · PMID 38362660 · Publisher ↗
The time course of socio-communicative disturbances in children after posterior fossa tumor resection is variable in clinical reports, and its assessment may help to understand the role of the cerebellum in the pathogene...
The time course of socio-communicative disturbances in children after posterior fossa tumor resection is variable in clinical reports, and its assessment may help to understand the role of the cerebellum in the pathogenesis of socio-communicative disorders and improve rehabilitation plans. We report the 3-year cognitive-behavioral follow-up of a female patient (LZ) who underwent surgical ablation of the vermis due to medulloblastoma at age 9. LZ developed a severe post-operative Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome (CCAS) with cognitive-executive dysfunctions and behavioral alterations resembling an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)-like syndrome. The lack of empathy and reduced ability to recognize others' intentions and mental states persisted at follow-up evaluations, as did language alterations. The present case report evidenced that lesions affecting cerebellar and vermal lobules may cause severe CCAS and impairment of social skills overlapping with that observed in ASD. This case is significant in its clinical features, revealing long-term social impairment, while the cognitive, linguistic, and executive functioning improved over time. Prospective case studies should plan the evaluation of symptoms of ASD within the clinical longitudinal assessment.
Assessing the impact of infantile hydrocephalus on visuomotor integration through behavioural and neuroimaging studies.
Adil D, Duerden E, Eagleson R … +1 more , De Ribaupierre S
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Oct · PMID 38353096 · Publisher ↗
Infantile hydrocephalus considerably impacts neurodevelopment, warranting attention to potential long-term consequences on visuomotor functions. The current study investigated the impact of infantile hydrocephalus on fun...
Infantile hydrocephalus considerably impacts neurodevelopment, warranting attention to potential long-term consequences on visuomotor functions. The current study investigated the impact of infantile hydrocephalus on functional connectivity within the posterior cortex. Fourteen patients, who were treated for infantile hydrocephalus, were matched for age and sex with 14 typically-developing controls. Both groups had a mean age of 9 years old. Resting-state functional MRI was used to conduct a functional connectivity analysis within the visuomotor integration network, including the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and frontal aslant tract. Patients had reduced functional connectivity in visuomotor pathways compared to typically-developing children with notable impact on the left and right fusiform gyrus and precuneus. Children with infantile hydrocephalus also performed significantly lower in tasks involving visuomotor integration, visual processing, visuospatial skills, motor coordination, and fine motor manipulation. This study enhances our understanding of the multifaceted impact of infantile hydrocephalus on both neural connectivity and considering behavioral outcomes.
Measuring executive functioning with the Multidimensional Everyday Memory Ratings for Youth (MEMRY): concurrent validity with the BRIEF-2 in a large neurological and medical sample.
Brooks BL, Mish SJ, MacAllister WS … +3 more , Fay-McClymont TB, Vasserman M, Sherman EMS
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Oct · PMID 38351897 · Publisher ↗
Executive skills are critical cognitive skills for everyday functioning in children; accurate measurement using validated tools is thus important. The purpose of this study was to examine concurrent validity between the...
Executive skills are critical cognitive skills for everyday functioning in children; accurate measurement using validated tools is thus important. The purpose of this study was to examine concurrent validity between the MEMRY Executive/Working Memory scale and the BRIEF2. Participants included a large pediatric clinical sample who completed parent ( = 567), teacher ( = 148), and self-report ( = 88) scales. All correlations were significant between the MEMRY Executive/Working Memory and the BRIEF2 Global Executive Composite, Cognitive Regulation Index, and Working Memory scale (all r's > .80). Classification agreement metrics ranged from fair to excellent. This study provides evidence of strong concurrent validity of the MEMRY Executive/Working Memory scale as a brief, useful tool for assessing executive functioning using parent, teacher, and self-report versions.
Differences between parent- and teacher-reported executive functioning behaviors after traumatic injuries.
Gies LM, Lynch JD, Bonanno K … +4 more , Zhang N, Yeates KO, Taylor HG, Wade SL
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Nov · PMID 38348682 · Full text
Deficits in executive functioning (EF) behaviors are very common following pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can linger well after acute injury recovery. Raters from multiple settings provide information that ma...
Deficits in executive functioning (EF) behaviors are very common following pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can linger well after acute injury recovery. Raters from multiple settings provide information that may not be appreciated otherwise. We examined differences between parent and teacher ratings of EF using data examining longitudinal outcomes following pediatric TBI in comparison to orthopedic injury (OI). We used linear mixed models to determine the association of rater type and injury type with scores on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF). After controlling for demographic variables, rater type and injury type accounted for a small but significant proportion of the variance in EF. Teachers' ratings on the BRIEF were significantly higher than parent ratings for global EF and metacognition, but not for behavior regulation, regardless of injury type, indicating greater EF concerns. All BRIEF ratings, whether from teachers or parents, were higher for children with TBI than for those with OI. Results suggest that parents and teachers provide unique information regarding EF following traumatic injuries and that obtaining ratings from persons who observe children at school as well as at home can result in a better understanding of situation-specific variability in outcomes.
Written language achievement in children and adolescents with neurofibromatosis type 1 and Plexiform Neurofibromas.
Siegel A, Toledo-Tamula MA, Martin S … +4 more , Gillespie A, Goodwin A, Widemann B, Wolters PL
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Oct · PMID 38318699 · Full text
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is associated with below average writing achievement. However, little is known about specific aspects of written language impacted by NF1, changes in writing over time, and associations bet...
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is associated with below average writing achievement. However, little is known about specific aspects of written language impacted by NF1, changes in writing over time, and associations between cognitive aspects of the NF1 phenotype and writing. At three timepoints over six years, children with NF1 and plexiform neurofibromas (PNs) completed Woodcock-Johnson tests of writing mechanics (Spelling, Punctuation & Capitalization, handwriting), written expression of ideas (Writing Samples), writing speed (Writing Fluency), and tests of general cognitive ability, executive function, memory, and attention. Children ( = 76, mean age = 12.8 ± 3.4 years) completed at least one baseline writing subtest. Overall writing scores were in the Average range ( = 93.4, = 17.4), but lower than population norms ( = 0.002). Scores were highest on Writing Samples ( = 95.2, = 17.3), and lowest for Punctuation & Capitalization ( = 87.9, = 18.8, = 0.034). Writing scores were mostly stable over time. Nonverbal reasoning was related to some tests of writing mechanics and written expression of ideas. Short-term memory and inattention explained additional variance in Writing Samples and Spelling. Poor handwriting was associated with writing content beyond the impact of cognitive factors. Children with NF1 and PNs may benefit from early screening and writing support. Interventions should address the contribution of both cognitive and handwriting difficulties in written language.
Are there associations between sedentary time inside and outside preschools with preschoolers' executive function?
Bezerra T, Esteban-Cornejo I, Goulart N … +5 more , Mota J, Souza Filho A, Clark CCT, Bandeira P, de Lucena Martins CM
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Nov · PMID 38282420 · Publisher ↗
Preschool children spend a large part of their day at school, and a large part of that time they spend in sedentary time. Although sedentary time negatively affects regions of the brain responsible for cognition, it is b...
Preschool children spend a large part of their day at school, and a large part of that time they spend in sedentary time. Although sedentary time negatively affects regions of the brain responsible for cognition, it is believed that the type of sedentary time performed can favor executive functions' performance. The present study explored the associations between sedentary time inside and outside preschools with executive function (EF) tasks in preschoolers. Seventy-three preschool children (60% girls; 55.0 ± 9.1 months of age) were objectively assessed for sedentary time and physical activity (PA) using accelerometers (wGT3X). EF was evaluated using the Go/No-Go paradigm through the Early Years Toolbox - YET. Go's inverse efficiency (IE) and the No-Go accuracy were analyzed. To establish possible associations between EF and sedentary time, a structural equation model was conducted after adjustments for sex, age, body mass index, and moderate-to-vigorous PA. A significant and positive association between sedentary time on weekend days and IE (b = 0.61; < .001) was observed. The general model explained 52% of the variation in IE and 2.1% in the accuracy of No-Go. The sedentary time on weekend days seems to be related to worse EI. This result emphasizes a context-dependent association between time being sedentary and preschoolers' EF. Further investigations should focus on exploring the type of sedentary behavior children are engaged in different contexts.
Caregiver-reported infant motor and imitation skills predict M-CHAT-R/F.
Levick S, Staples AD, Warschausky S … +6 more , Huth-Bocks A, Taylor HG, Gidley Larson JC, Peterson C, Lukomski A, Lajiness-O'Neill R
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Oct · PMID 38275156 · Full text
Altered motor and social-communicative abilities in infancy have been linked to later ASD diagnosis. Most diagnostic instruments for ASD cannot be utilized until 12 months, and the average child is diagnosed substantiall...
Altered motor and social-communicative abilities in infancy have been linked to later ASD diagnosis. Most diagnostic instruments for ASD cannot be utilized until 12 months, and the average child is diagnosed substantially later. Imitation combines motor and social-communicative skills and is commonly atypical in infants at risk for ASD. However, few measures have been developed to assess infant imitation clinically. One barrier to the diagnostic age gap of ASD is accessibility of screening and diagnostic services. Utilization of caregiver report to reliably screen for ASD mitigates such barriers and could aid in earlier detection. The present study developed and validated a caregiver-report measure of infant imitation at 4, 6, and 9 months and explored the relationship between caregiver-reported imitation and motor abilities with later ASD risk. Participants ( = 571) were caregivers of term and preterm infants recruited as part of a large multi-site study of PediaTrac™, a web-based tool for monitoring and tracking infant development. Caregivers completed online surveys and established questionnaires on a schedule corresponding to well-child visits from birth to 18 months, including the M-CHAT-R/F at 18 months. Distinct imitation factors were derived from PediaTrac at 4, 6, and 9 months via factor analysis. The results supported validity of the imitation factors via associations with measures of infant communication (CSBS; ASQ). Imitation and motor skills at 9 months predicted 18-month ASD risk over and above gestational age. Implications for assessment of infant imitation, detecting ASD risk in the first year, and contributing to access to care are discussed.
Validation of the autism behavior checklist in Egyptian children with autism spectrum disorder.
Abdelmageed RI, Youssef AM, Rihan LS … +1 more , Abdelaziz AW
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Nov · PMID 38275152 · Publisher ↗
This study was designed to validate the Arabic version of the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) for the Egyptian population. A total of 500 mothers of children aged 4-14 years, of whom 150 had a diagnosis of ASD, 100 with...
This study was designed to validate the Arabic version of the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) for the Egyptian population. A total of 500 mothers of children aged 4-14 years, of whom 150 had a diagnosis of ASD, 100 with intellectual disability, and 250 typically developing children completed the ABC. The factor analysis showed that 48 of 57 ABC items yielded a five-dimensional factor structure. The ABC-Arabic version indicated acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.85) and test - retest reliability (0.82). Also, the ABC exhibited good concurrent validity and discriminative validity. A cutoff score of 58 obtained a sensitivity of 94.7% and a specificity of 92.14% for detecting children with ASD. Our findings support the use of the ABC as a valid screening measure for ASD cases, and it may promote the use of the ABC for clinical and research purposes among Arabic-speaking communities.
Social functioning in children with ADHD: an examination of inhibition, self-control, and working memory as potential mediators.
Bullard CC, Alderson RM, Roberts DK … +3 more , Tatsuki MO, Sullivan MA, Kofler MJ
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Oct · PMID 38269494 · Full text
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience a host of social problems, in addition to significant impairments in behavioral inhibition, working memory, and self-control. Behavioral inhibition...
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience a host of social problems, in addition to significant impairments in behavioral inhibition, working memory, and self-control. Behavioral inhibition and working memory difficulties have been linked with social functioning deficits, but to date, most studies have examined these neurocognitive problems either in isolation or as an aggregate measure in relation to social problems, and none has considered the role of self-control. Thus, it remains unclear whether all of these executive functions are linked with social problems or if the link can be more parsimoniously explained by construct overlap. Fifty-eight children with ADHD and 63 typically developing (TD) children completed tests assessing self-control, behavioral inhibition, and working memory; parents and teachers rated children's social functioning. Examination of potential indirect effects with the bootstrapping procedure indicated that working memory mediated the relation between group membership (ADHD, TD) and child social functioning based on teacher but not parent ratings. Behavioral inhibition and self-control did not have direct relations with either parent- or teacher-rated social functioning. These findings point to important differences regarding how executive functioning difficulties manifest at school compared to home, as well as the specific executive function components that predict ADHD-related social difficulties.
Early life parechovirus infection neuropsychological outcomes at 8 years: a cohort study.
Briscoe L, Hodge MA, Porter M … +4 more , Burrell R, Fairbairn N, Fang A, Britton P
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Nov · PMID 38258280 · Publisher ↗
Human parechovirus (HPeV) is a leading cause of Central Nervous System (CNS) infection in infancy. Despite this, little is known regarding the long-term neuropsychological impacts from HPeV infection. The aim of the pres...
Human parechovirus (HPeV) is a leading cause of Central Nervous System (CNS) infection in infancy. Despite this, little is known regarding the long-term neuropsychological impacts from HPeV infection. The aim of the present study was to explore the long-term neuropsychological impacts eight-year post-HPeV infection contracted during infancy. This study also aimed to investigate the differential impacts of HPeV itself compared to the effects of secondary meningitis ( = 23) or encephalitis ( = 3) associated with HPeV infection. Thirty-nine HPeV children participated in the study. Children completed performance-based measures of neuropsychological and language functioning (the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals - Fourth Edition, and the Test of Everyday Attention for Children). Parents completed questionnaire-based measures of emotional, behavioral, and pragmatic language functioning (the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Social Communication Questionnaire). Results revealed that, overall, children with HPeV were significantly more impaired on measures of selective, sustained, and divided attention compared to normative test populations. The current study incidentally found at least double the prevalence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the HPeV sample than what is typical in the normal population, suggesting that HPeV infection during infancy may be a risk factor for the later development of ADHD. Additionally, the presence of secondary meningitis or encephalitis did not relate to poorer neuropsychological outcomes in the current sample. The findings of this study have important implications regarding clinical management for children following HPeV infection in infancy.
Psychometric properties of the NIH Toolbox Cognition and Emotion Batteries among children and adolescents with congenital heart defects.
Wallace J, Ceschin R, Lee VK … +6 more , Beluk NH, Burns C, Beers S, Lo C, Panigrahy A, Badaly D
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Jan · PMID 38247350 · Full text
The NIH Toolbox offers brief, computerized measures of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. However, its psychometric properties were established among typically developing children and adolescents. The current study...
The NIH Toolbox offers brief, computerized measures of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. However, its psychometric properties were established among typically developing children and adolescents. The current study provides the first comprehensive assessment of its psychometric properties among young patients with congenital heart defects (CHD). We prospectively recruited 58 patients with CHD and 80 healthy controls between the ages of 6 and 17. Participants completed the NIH Toolbox Cognition and Emotion Batteries, a battery of clinician-administered neuropsychological tests, and ratings of their quality of life. Their parents also completed ratings of their functioning. On the Cognition Battery, we found expectable group differences and developmentally expected gains across ages. For the most part, composites and subtests were significantly correlated with neuropsychological measures of similar constructs. Higher scores were generally associated with ratings of better day-to-day functioning among children with CHD. On the Emotion Battery, we found no significant group differences, echoing prior research. For the most part, scales showed acceptable internal consistency among both groups. There was adequate construct coherence for most of questionnaires among healthy control but not participants with CHD. Correlations with a comparison tool were largely within expectable directions. The NIH Toolbox may provide a valid and useful assessment of cognitive functioning among youths with CHD. While it may offer reliable and valid scales of psychosocial functioning, further research is needed to understand the meaningfulness of the scales for participants with CHD.
Kids name the darndest things: confrontation naming in pediatric neuropsychology.
Hammond JB, Fortner SG, Lichtenstein JD
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Oct · PMID 38221874 · Publisher ↗
Few confrontation naming tests are designed for pediatric populations. The Children's Visual Naming Test (cVNT; Hamberger et al., 2018) was developed to fill this gap. No independent studies using cVNT with clinical popu...
Few confrontation naming tests are designed for pediatric populations. The Children's Visual Naming Test (cVNT; Hamberger et al., 2018) was developed to fill this gap. No independent studies using cVNT with clinical populations have been published to date. We aimed to characterize cVNT performance in a clinical sample and analyze the relationship between cVNT and other neuropsychological tests/constructs. Retrospective data was collected from 126 consecutively referred youth, aged 6-15 years ( = 11.28, = 2.80), who underwent clinical neuropsychological evaluation through an academic medical center. Naming under 2 seconds (cVNT-L2) and the summary scores (cVNT-SUM) were lower compared to the normative sample (cVNT-L2: =-1.30, = 2.17; cVNT-SUM: =-1.26, = 2.15). cVNT was related to core verbal abilities, processing speed, and response inhibition. cVNT-L2 and cVNT-SUM, but not naming under 20 seconds, were related to overall intellectual functioning, verbal fluency, and working memory, and were associated with overall attention, processing speed, executive functions, and verbal fluency. The cVNT provides assessment of confrontation naming without downward extension in pediatric neuropsychological assessment. Importantly, cVNT offers variables of higher fidelity to the neural process of naming than previous measures. cVNT may be associated with commonly assessed neuropsychological functions, providing a rapidly effective tool for screening batteries or improving efficiency.
Differential neuropsychological profiles in children and adolescents with motor disability in an inclusive educational setting.
García-Castro MI, Menor J, Alvarez-Carriles JC
Child Neuropsychol · 2024 Oct · PMID 38221861 · Publisher ↗
The aim of this study was to determine the potential cognitive impairment associated with motor disability in a group of children attending regular schools and to analyze whether there were different cognitive profiles a...
The aim of this study was to determine the potential cognitive impairment associated with motor disability in a group of children attending regular schools and to analyze whether there were different cognitive profiles according to the type of motor disability they presented. The study had 87 participants, 31 healthy and 56 with three types of motor disability: Neuromuscular Diseases (NMD Group), Cerebral Palsy-Hemiparesis (CP- HPx Group) and Cerebral Palsy-Diplegia (CP-DP). Ages ranged from 6 to 18 years and they had medium and medium-high socioeconomic and cultural levels. All participants attended regular state-funded and independent schools in an inclusive modality. The neuropsychological assessment included the following cognitive domains: processing speed, working memory, verbal and visual episodic memory, language, visuo-perception and constructive praxis and executive functioning. A second analysis was performed with the groups with CP: one based on the severity of gross motor impairment (GMFCS-E&R scale) and the other based on the levels of manual dexterity (MACS scale). ANCOVAs were performed controlling for age and processing speed in the three analyses. The group with CP-HPx was shown to be the most cognitively impaired of the three groups, with significant deficits in visuo-perception, verbal working memory, and visuo-spatial memory. Subjects with greater gross motor dysfunction (GMFCS-E&R) did not show the greatest cognitive impairment, while those with worse manual dexterity (MACS) exhibited greater cognitive impairment. Children and adolescents with motor disabilities, a priori cognitively normal, present different levels of cognitive impairment. This should be considered when planning educational adaptations for this infant-juvenile population.
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