Objective: It is thought that executive functions (EF) emerge as outcomes of interactions between cognitive and emotional processes. They are an integral component of the growing regulatory abilities of children and adolescents and are important for academic success, attainment of social competence, and psychological development, among others. It is essential to evaluate them during neuropsychological assessment. However, they are difficult to capture with performance-based, neuropsychological assessment tools. These were once considered ‘gold standard’ measurements of EF but have been critiqued for a number of reasons. As such, rating scales have been useful as a complementary, perhaps eventual alternative, to performance-based tests. Behavioural screeners have high replicability, making them practical for use across various populations, and to evaluate everyday behaviours. A four-factor executive function screener derived from the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) was previously developed and validated in a variety of age ranges and groups (Garcia-Barrera et al., 2011). However, with the exception of children with ADHD, the effectiveness of the screener has not been examined in individuals with neurologic disorder. In this population, EF are often impaired, due to delays or disruptions in normal brain development. Given these challenges in this population, this study 1) derived a similar screener for use in adolescents with neurologic disorder, using the second edition of the BASC, and 2) evaluated it against a commonly used EF rating scale [i.e., the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF)] as well as performance-based executive function measures. Thirdly, this study characterized the nature of EFs in this clinical population, given that EF deficits are often central characteristics in many neurological disorders. Participants and Methods: An archival analysis was conducted with 107 neurologically-affected adolescents seen for neuropsychological assessment at Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health. Patients were included in the study if they gave consent, had at least low average intellectual functioning, had a BASC-2 completed by a parent, and were between the ages of 12-18 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the derived screener. Bivariate correlation analyses were used to evaluate convergent validity. To characterize the nature of this sample’s EF profiles, differences among groups were measured in a profile analysis via multivariate analysis of variance. Results: The four-factor model, as measured by the BASC-2 EF screener, fit the data most optimally, indicating that the structure of EF reflects the four-factor model observed in other studies. Consistent with other studies, convergent validity was observed with the BRIEF but not the performance-based tasks. Profile analysis indicated that there were some overall differences among the neurological groups and their BASC-2 scores as well as individual differences on the various factor scores. Conclusions: These findings support the four factor model measured by the screener in adolescents with neurological disorders. Given the consistency between the factor structure in this population and previous studies measuring this screener in healthy populations, and the convergence of the screener and the BRIEF, these findings contribute to the body of literature supporting this executive functioning screener as a complement to performance-based tasks. / Graduate / 2018-09-18

This study investigated the utility of the MMPI-A short form described by Archer, Tirrell, and Elkins (2001) for detecting the presence of emotionality in adolescents in the school setting. Students were placed in one of three groups based on their performance on an established and frequently used self-report measure of personality, the Behavior Assessment System for Children-II (BASC- 2). Subjects who had significant elevations on one or more of the scales in Internalizing Index on the BASC-2 were placed in the Clinical group and subjects who had significant elevations on one or more of the scales the School Problems Index or Personal Adjustment Index were placed in the Adjustment group. Those without significant elevations on the BASC-2 were placed in the Nonclinical group. Differences between the three groups on each of the MMPI-A short form clinical scales were reported. The results indicated that the students in the Clinical group scored higher than students in the Non-clinical group on each of the MMPI-A short form scales. Adjustment group scores tended to be higher than Non-clinical group scores but not all scales were significantly higher. Discriminant analysis correctly classified 75% of the non-clinical group, 52% of the Clinical group, but only 37% of the Adjustment group. These findings, combined with additional analysis of clinical relevant data, provided positive indicators supporting the use of the short form in clinical settings.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of acculturation on the parent and teacher ratings of non-clinical Mexican American children's behavior, using the BASC Parent Rating Scale-C (PRS-C ) and the Teacher Rating Scale-C (TRS-C ). One hundred twenty-three children of Mexican descent (ages 6-11) attending Texas public schools were rated by their parents and teachers. Parent acculturation level was measured using the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II. Parents were assigned to High, Medium or Low acculturation groups based on a combination of linear acculturation levels (Part 1) and obtained typologies (Part 2). Parent acculturation level was then assigned to TRS-C data creating matched-rater pairs (PRS-C and TRS-C of same child) for use in this study. Internal consistency reliabilities for the Total Mexican American sample's Teacher Rating Scale-C (TRS-C) were more similar to the published BASC general norms than the Total Mexican American sample's Parent Rating Scale-C (PRS-C ) on six of the nine clinical scales investigated and on all three of the shared adaptive scales. The most striking internal consistency result emerged when the sample was subdivided by acculturation, the High acculturation TRS-C Conduct Problems scale showed no cohesion of items for this sample (.00). Comparison of the Total, High, Medium, and Low groups' obtained distributions on each of the 16 selected scales of the PRS-C and TRS-C to the published BASC general norms revealed: 1) six significant differences of potential clinical relevance on the PRS-C scales, and 2) thirteen significant differences of potential clinical relevance on the TRS-C scales. Both parents and teachers rated the children as demonstrating less maladaptive symptoms on the Aggression, Depression, Hyperactivity, and Behavioral Symptom Index. Only parents reported lower Adaptability and Adaptive Skills scores. And only teachers of the High acculturation group reported higher Adaptability scores. No systematic influence of acculturation was present among any of the 16 selected scales. However, the parents and teachers of the High acculturation subgroup did have more moderate correlations than the Medium and Low groups combined.

acase@tulane.edu

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are one form of neurodevelopmental disruption that negatively impacts the integration of perceptual, affective and neuroregulatory mechanisms of typical development. Individuals with ASDs categorically demonstrate difficulties with organizing their thoughts/emotions/actions and applying them in a goal directed manner. The neurobiological deficits underlying cognitive and behavioral disorganization are termed executive functioning (EF) skills deficits. This study sought to clarify the association between the defining characteristics of ASDs and their expression in general behavior and EF skills, using parent and teacher ratings. Results of this study indicated that the association between the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2) and the symptoms of ASDs as measured by the Autism Spectrum Rating Scale (ASRS) varied by rater, with few clinical scales explaining significant variance in the ASRS outcomes. Additionally, the strongest relationship between the BASC-2 Developmental Social Disorders content scale (DSDCS) and the ASRS Scales was in behavior regulation rather than the social domain. Using the ASRS Scales as predictors of executive skills issues was generally stronger for teachers than parents. Only difficulties on the Self-Regulation Scale were consistently predictive of difficulties with Metacognition Index (MI) across parent and teacher ratings. The results give direction with regard to identifying behavioral and ecologically relevant cognitive skills and their relationship characteristics of ASDs.

Hydrocephalus can impact all areas of health, including physical, cognitive, and social-emotional functioning. The social-emotional health of children who have had surgery for their hydrocephalus is not well characterized. This study examined social-emotional and behavioral functioning using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3) and the Hydrocephalus Outcome Questionnaire (HOQ) in children aged 5-17 years old. BASC-3 parent report scores were compared to the BASC-3 normative sample using one-sample t-tests to evaluate overall social-emotional functioning. BASC-3 scores were correlated with the social-emotional domain of the HOQ using Pearson's r to determine if the HOQ accurately captures the social-emotional functioning of children with hydrocephalus in a neurosurgery setting. BASC-3 and HOQ scores of children with different etiologies of hydrocephalus were compared using one-way ANOVAs. Children with hydrocephalus of all etiologies had more difficulties with social-emotional functioning compared to normative populations, but there were no differences in functioning between etiologies. The social-emotional domain of the HOQ correlated more strongly with the BASC-3 than did the physical and cognitive domains. These results provide evidence that children who have had surgery for their hydrocephalus may be at increased risk of social-emotional and behavioral difficulties, but etiology may not be particularly helpful in predicting what kinds or degree of difficulty. This study also supports the content and divergent validity of the social-emotional domain of the HOQ.

Hydrocephalus can impact all areas of health, including physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning. Etiology can be a major factor in health outcomes, but prior research on psychosocial functioning in hydrocephalus has been with limited etiologies. This study examined psychosocial functioning using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3) and the Hydrocephalus Outcome Questionnaire (HOQ) in children aged 5-17 years old. BASC-3 and HOQ parent report scores were compared between hydrocephalus etiologies. Medical factors (number of CSF diversion procedures, history of seizures, and years with hydrocephalus) and SES factors (family income, parent education, and parent occupational status) were examined as potential predictors for psychosocial outcomes. BASC-3 attention and executive functioning and HOQ social-emotional scales differed between etiologies. Years with hydrocephalus and a history of seizures were significant predictors for some BASC-3 scales and the HOQ social-emotional scale. SES variables did not predict any psychosocial outcomes examined. These results provide evidence that children who have had surgery for their hydrocephalus may be at increased risk of psychosocial difficulties, and that etiology and medical history may be contributing factors.

Mental health disorders are rising in children and being referred to as an epidemic. Numerous studies have shown micronutrient deficiencies and poor diet quality are suspected of playing a contributory role in the escalation of certain disorders. However, there is no research in young children focusing specifically on social emotional disorders and possible links to nutrition. Conventional treatment for social emotional disorders in children typically involves medication. Parents are increasingly turning to complementary and alternative medicine to treat their children with a method that is individualized and holistic. The biopsychosocial model provided the theoretical framework for this correlational study that investigated the association between nutrient intake and social emotional functioning. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine if diet/health indicators were significant predictors of any of the subscale scores on the Behavior Assessment System for Children - Second Edition (BASC-2), Parent Rating Scale -Preschool social emotional variables. Intake of food categories was measured by the amount reported by a sample of 119 parents over a three-day period. Higher levels of processed food consumption significantly predicted higher scores of atypicality. Additionally, reporting a family history of mental illness was associated with lower levels of hyperactivity and depression. The relationships between the other diet quality/health indicators and social emotional functioning in children were non-significant. The results of this study offer an alternative or supplemental treatment modality to psychotropic drugs. With the increasing health and economic burden of mental health disorders in children, the investigation of risk factors such as nutrient intake, is an essential and pressing research initiative.

En esta tesis se estudian los órganos más representativos construidos en el periodo romántico en la zona vasconavarra. Ello obliga al estudio a su vez de sus autores, organeros procedentes de Francia, España y Alemania. Esta investigación conlleva asimismo la necesidad de definir lo que es el órgano romántico y justificar el periodo cronológico propuesto así como el espacio geográfico en que se enmarca el presente trabajo. Además, esta tesis tiene como objetivo explicar las razones por las que existe en este territorio un patrimonio organístico tan rico en cantidad y calidad, construido por los organeros europeos más representativos de este estilo, dando respuestas a cuestiones tales como quiénes fueron los agentes que intervinieron en este proceso, cuáles fueron las fuentes de financiación, cómo acogió la Iglesia a este nuevo tipo de órgano, qué influencia tuvieron estos instrumentos en la creación musical, si existió un periodo de transición entre el órgano barroco y el romántico y finalmente cómo afectó este proceso a la metodología en la enseñanza de órgano. Todo ello desde una perspectiva global e histórica.

The overrepresentation of minority students identified for special education services continues to plague schools and serves as a challenge for researchers and practitioners (Ferri&Conner,2005). Teacher nomination, office discipline referrals (ODR), and functional behavior assessments (FBA) continue to guide referral processes (Bradshaw, Mitchell, O’Brennen, & Leaf, 2010; Eklund, et al., 2009; Mustian, 2010). These methods have been found to be riddled with inconsistencies. Practices used to identify students for behavioral and emotional interventions over-identify students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The use of a behavioral and emotional screener to make data-based decisions regarding placement and services could provide an objective assessment of student risk. The first chapter of this dissertation reviews methods used in the identification of students for behavioral and emotional support services. Additionally, the use of universal screening in conjunction with student self-report are proposed as tools for alleviating the overrepresentation of minority students in special education programs for behavioral and emotional disorders. The second chapter of this dissertation explores the measurement equivalence of Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2) Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Student form (BESS Student) across the Black, Hispanic, and White participants in the norming sample. The BESS Student as a universal screening tool is poised to alleviate the disproportionate number of children of color identified by schools as having behavior and emotional disorders. This instrument also provides an avenue to identify students with internalizing disorders who are often overlooked in present referral practices (Bradshaw, Buckley, & Ialongo, 2008; Kataoka, Zhang, & Wells, 2002). The findings of the measurement equivalence study suggests that the BESS Student is, as designed, identifying behavioral and emotional risk across each of the three groups explored. These findings support the use of a universal screening measure as the first step in a multi-step identification and intervention process. Following up with additional assessment to evaluate the specific areas of risk warranting intervention is pivotal to providing appropriate support services and promoting the behavioral and emotional health of students. Implications for research and practice are discussed.