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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in communication and socialization, as well as by repetitive and stereotyped behaviours and interests. The ASD phenotype is also characterized by impairments in cognition. A growing body of literature points to attention and executive functioning as being key elements of cognition that are impaired in individuals with ASD. It is very possible that these cognitive difficulties are related to the functional deficits in academic achievement, daily living skills and socialization that are experienced by individuals with ASD throughout their lifetime. Associations between these cognitive and functional abilities have been identified in TD populations; however, this relationship is not well understood in ASD. This is especially true for adolescents with ASD who are a vastly understudied population within the field. The research in this thesis aimed to investigate the nature of cognitive and functional impairments in high-functioning adolescents with ASD, and to better understand the relationship between these deficits. This study made use of a multi-method approach, by obtaining behavioural and parent-report data related to cognition and functioning for both ASD and TD populations. The results indicated that adolescents with ASD may have some impairment in executive functioning, particularly with shifting and planning abilities, and score significantly lower than TD adolescents on measures of academic achievement, adaptive behaviour and social skills. Surprisingly, no evidence was found for attentional deficits in the ASD group. Multiple regression analyses did not reveal any significant predictive relationships of attention and executive functioning with academic ability, adaptive behaviour, or social skills. Limitations of this research are discussed. The results may lend themselves to the development of theoretical frameworks for understanding functional abilities in adolescents with ASD. / Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2013-10-07 10:10:42.215

Cross-sectional research of youth with type I diabetes has demonstrated that rote and working memory predict blood glucose monitoring (BGM) and carbohydrate consumption, respectively; however, to date, no longitudinal follow-up studies exist. Rote and working memory subtests from well-standardized memory measures, along with a problem-solving and executive functioning measures were administered to 118 youth with type I diabetes, aged 9-16 in two waves of data collection (mean interval = 2.07 years). Diabetes care behaviors were assessed through the 24-hour Diabetes Interview. This study was the first to document longitudinal prediction of BGM by rote memory and fat consumption by working memory. Extant cross-sectional literature was replicated; rote memory was concurrently associated with BGM and working memory with carbohydrate consumption. Memory was a stronger predictor of disease care behavior than disease responsibility or age. Problem solving and executive functioning failed to significantly predict disease care behaviors.

abstract: This study examined whether early adversity at 30-months moderated the heritability of common and individual components of EF at 8 years. It was hypothesized that early adversity would not moderate the common EF factor, but instead moderate individual EF components. The sample included 208 twin pairs from the Arizona Twin Project. Early Adversity, assessed at 30 months of age, included Parenting Daily Hassles, low perceived MOS social support, punitive punishment (Parental Responses to Child Misbehavior), home chaos (Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale), CES-D maternal depression, and low maternal emotional availability. EF at 8 years included the Eriksen Flanker Task, Continuous Performance Task, Digit Span Forward and Backward, and parent-reported Attentional Focusing and Inhibitory Control (Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire). For both early adversity and EF, the first principal components were extracted as composites. A confirmatory factor analysis was also conducted to index common EF. Genetic analyses were tested on the common EF composites as well as each individual task using umx. Univariate models revealed genetic influences on all individual measures and common EF, with broad sense heritability from .22 (Digit Span Backwards) to .61 (parent-reported inhibitory control). Shared environmental influences were found for the Flanker Task (.13) and parent-reported inhibitory control (.24), and E was moderate to high (.40-.73) for all measures except parent-report inhibitory control (.15) and attentional focusing (.31). Moderation of heritability was not observed in for Digit Span Forward, Digit Span Backward, and Attentional Focusing. However, the nonshared environment was moderated for Common EF, and the Flanker Task, and additive genes and the nonshared environment were moderated for the Continuous Performance Task and Inhibitory Control. Generally, total variance decreased as early adversity increased, suggesting that homes with low levels of adversity may allow children to interact with more proximal processes that can promote EF development. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2018

Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving procedure for patients in respiratory or cardiac distress. Prior studies have demonstrated several known risks to the procedure, such as hypoxia, stroke, and other neurological complications (Cheng et al., 2014) that can lead to temporary or permanent deficits in motor abilities, developmental trajectory, academic abilities, and cognition (Glass et al., 1995). Although several studies have investigated morbidity and mortality rates of pediatric ECMO patients, few have looked at cognitive deficits, and even fewer at magnetic resonance imaging in relation to neuropsychological outcome and behavioral, emotional, or social functioning. The aims of this study were to investigate cognitive ability and behavioral functioning in a group of ECMO-treated patients compared to a normative sample, and to examine brain morphometry in hippocampal regions as they relate to cognitive outcome. Participants for this study were recruited from Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, UT. The total number of participants recruited was 8 (63% female; M age at testing = 16.75, SD = 4.5), and all participants were at least 1 year post-ECMO procedure (M=5.6 years; SD=2.1) for acute respiratory or cardiac illness. Neuropsychological testing was completed using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Scores were compared to normative data for age to investigate potential impairment in multiple cognitive domains. Each participant and the parent or guardian of minor participants completed brief questionnaires measuring executive functioning, behavior, and social skills, namely The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning, The Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Second Edition, and the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales. Six of the participants also underwent MR imaging to obtain measures of cortical thickness in the frontal areas of the brain, as well as hippocampal and total intracranial volume. Performance results on the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery was impaired in over half of the tested individuals who underwent ECMO as children. Attention, executive function, processing speed, and visual memory were well below the expected range for age in the majority of participants. Crystallized intelligence tasks, such as vocabulary, were in the average to above average range for most participants, likely indicating normal baseline functioning. Self- and informant report revealed variable results across participants, with various behavioral, emotional, and social difficulties reported in the group. Bilateral hippocampal volume was positively correlated with scores on tasks of episodic and working memory, though further study with a larger sample and control group is warranted. Preliminary MRI data for cortical thickness and volume of frontal regions are presented. Interpretation of results, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Prior studies have demonstrated that a sizeable percentage of children presenting to the epilepsy monitoring unit for evaluation of paroxysmal events (seizures) are found to have non-epileptic seizures (NES) (Asano et al., 2005). The importance of identifying NES cannot be overstated since misdiagnosis often leads to treatment with antiepileptic drugs, which may have side effects that may negatively impact cognition (Chen, Chow, & Lee, 2001) and perhaps even cognitive development. While studies in adults with epilepsy or NES have demonstrated impaired executive functioning and social outcome compared to healthy peers, less work is present among pediatric populations (Cragar, Berry, Fakhoury, Cibula, & Schmitt, 2002; Rantanen, Eriksson, & Nieminen, 2012). Furthermore, research is void of information regarding social skills between these pediatric groups. The aims of this study were to examine group differences between social skills and executive functioning between pediatric epileptic and NES patients, determine if social skills predict diagnostic classification, and examine correlations between executive functioning and social skill measures. This study was conducted on the epilepsy monitoring units (EMU) at Phoenix Children's Hospital and Primary Children's Medical Center. The parent/caregiver of patients admitted to the EMU for video-EEG diagnosis of seizures was approached regarding study participation. A total of 43 children and parent/caregiver participated in this study. The NES group consisted of15 participants (67% female; M age at testing = 12.62, SD = 3.33), and the epilepsy (ES) group consisted of 28 participants (50% female, M age at testing = 11.79, SD = 3.12). Both the parents and children completed brief questionnaires measuring executive functioning and social skills. These measures included The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning, The Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Second Edition, and the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales. Binomial logistic regression analysis showed social skills did not significantly predict diagnostic group. No group differences were found between children with epilepsy and NES on measures of executive functioning or social skills. Parents of both groups rated their children as having below average social skills, while children rated their social skills in the average range compared to healthy peers. Both children and parents of both groups rated their executive functioning within the average range. Executive functioning scores and social skill scores significantly correlated and regression analyses indicated that the Behavioral Regulation Index on the BRIEF significantly predicted Social Skills on the SSIS. Interpretationof results, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

<p>This thesis examined inhibition, executive functioning and their possible relation to childhood problems of hyperactivity and inattention, in its clinical form referred to as Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD). Concurrent as well as longitudinal relations were of interest, and both clinical and non-clinical samples were studied. </p><p>Study I demonstrated concurrent relations between executive inhibition and both hyperactivity and conduct problems in preschool. However, the relation between inhibition and conduct problems could be attributed to the large overlap between hyperactivity and conduct problems.</p><p>In Study II, linear relations were found between executive inhibition and hyperactivity, whereas inhibition to the unfamiliar was related to hyperactivity, social initiative, as well as social anxiety. Non-linear analyses showed that children with high levels of both types of inhibition were at risk for developing low social initiative and social anxiety, whereas children with low levels of inhibition were at risk for developing hyperactivity, but at the same time protected from social anxiety. </p><p>In Study III, executive inhibition was longitudinally related to ADHD symptoms in both school and at home for boys, but only in the school context for girls. Executive inhibition was also related to more general executive functioning deficits, and concurrent relations were found between executive functioning and ADHD symptoms, although in both cases only for boys. Inhibition and executive functioning made independent contributions to the understanding of ADHD symptoms for boys, and together explained about half the variance in inattention problems. </p><p>In Study IV, group differences were found between ADHD children and controls for both inhibition and various other executive function measures. These measures also discriminated well between groups. The best model, which included measures tapping inhibition, working memory and emotion regulation, classified 86% of the children correctly. </p><p>In summary, the results of the present thesis were mostly supportive of Barkley’s hybrid model of ADHD, although it should be noted that the question of whether inhibition should be regarded as primary to other executive functions requires further investigation.</p>

This thesis examined inhibition, executive functioning and their possible relation to childhood problems of hyperactivity and inattention, in its clinical form referred to as Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD). Concurrent as well as longitudinal relations were of interest, and both clinical and non-clinical samples were studied. Study I demonstrated concurrent relations between executive inhibition and both hyperactivity and conduct problems in preschool. However, the relation between inhibition and conduct problems could be attributed to the large overlap between hyperactivity and conduct problems. In Study II, linear relations were found between executive inhibition and hyperactivity, whereas inhibition to the unfamiliar was related to hyperactivity, social initiative, as well as social anxiety. Non-linear analyses showed that children with high levels of both types of inhibition were at risk for developing low social initiative and social anxiety, whereas children with low levels of inhibition were at risk for developing hyperactivity, but at the same time protected from social anxiety. In Study III, executive inhibition was longitudinally related to ADHD symptoms in both school and at home for boys, but only in the school context for girls. Executive inhibition was also related to more general executive functioning deficits, and concurrent relations were found between executive functioning and ADHD symptoms, although in both cases only for boys. Inhibition and executive functioning made independent contributions to the understanding of ADHD symptoms for boys, and together explained about half the variance in inattention problems. In Study IV, group differences were found between ADHD children and controls for both inhibition and various other executive function measures. These measures also discriminated well between groups. The best model, which included measures tapping inhibition, working memory and emotion regulation, classified 86% of the children correctly. In summary, the results of the present thesis were mostly supportive of Barkley’s hybrid model of ADHD, although it should be noted that the question of whether inhibition should be regarded as primary to other executive functions requires further investigation.

Prior research has demonstrated that bilinguals outperform monolinguals on tasks requiring set shifting – that is, the ability to shift between different ways of thinking about an object or situation. For example, bilingual children have been shown to outperform monolingual controls on false-belief tasks and on the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) task. The present study aimed (a) to examine whether the bilingual advantage in false-belief and DCCS tasks can be replicated when accounting for languages/cultures and socio-economic status and (b) to determine whether inhibitory control, metarepresentation, and/or working memory underlie the advantage, if any exists. Three language groups (24 English monolingual, 24 French monolingual, and 24 English-French bilingual preschoolers) were tested on the following tasks: false-belief (FB) tasks, the DCCS task, an inhibitory control task (Stroop task), a metarepresentation task (Identity Statements task), a working memory task (Backward Word Span), and receptive language proficiency tests. Socio-economic status was measured through a parental questionnaire containing questions about parental income and education. Results showed that the three language groups were equivalent on socio-economic measures. Despite having significantly lower language proficiency scores, bilinguals’ raw scores on FB and DCCS tasks did not differ from monolinguals’ raw scores. After statistically controlling for language proficiency and age, bilinguals had significantly higher FB scores, but did not differ from monolinguals on DCCS scores. Analyses were then performed to determine whether inhibitory control, metarepresentation, and/or working memory help bilinguals “do more” in FB “with less” language proficiency. Working memory emerged as the likely candidate that compensates for the negative effect of bilingual children’s low language proficiency on FB performance because, after controlling for age and language proficiency, it was the only cognitive ability that fulfilled both criteria: (a) its measure correlated significantly with FB and (b) there was a bilingual advantage over both monolingual groups in the measure. A mediation analysis confirmed that the working memory measure significantly mediates the relation between bilingual status and FB while controlling for age and language proficiency. Both components of the working memory measure – that is, understanding of task instructions and maintenance/manipulation capacity – mediate this relation.

Prior research has demonstrated that bilinguals outperform monolinguals on tasks requiring set shifting – that is, the ability to shift between different ways of thinking about an object or situation. For example, bilingual children have been shown to outperform monolingual controls on false-belief tasks and on the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) task. The present study aimed (a) to examine whether the bilingual advantage in false-belief and DCCS tasks can be replicated when accounting for languages/cultures and socio-economic status and (b) to determine whether inhibitory control, metarepresentation, and/or working memory underlie the advantage, if any exists. Three language groups (24 English monolingual, 24 French monolingual, and 24 English-French bilingual preschoolers) were tested on the following tasks: false-belief (FB) tasks, the DCCS task, an inhibitory control task (Stroop task), a metarepresentation task (Identity Statements task), a working memory task (Backward Word Span), and receptive language proficiency tests. Socio-economic status was measured through a parental questionnaire containing questions about parental income and education. Results showed that the three language groups were equivalent on socio-economic measures. Despite having significantly lower language proficiency scores, bilinguals’ raw scores on FB and DCCS tasks did not differ from monolinguals’ raw scores. After statistically controlling for language proficiency and age, bilinguals had significantly higher FB scores, but did not differ from monolinguals on DCCS scores. Analyses were then performed to determine whether inhibitory control, metarepresentation, and/or working memory help bilinguals “do more” in FB “with less” language proficiency. Working memory emerged as the likely candidate that compensates for the negative effect of bilingual children’s low language proficiency on FB performance because, after controlling for age and language proficiency, it was the only cognitive ability that fulfilled both criteria: (a) its measure correlated significantly with FB and (b) there was a bilingual advantage over both monolingual groups in the measure. A mediation analysis confirmed that the working memory measure significantly mediates the relation between bilingual status and FB while controlling for age and language proficiency. Both components of the working memory measure – that is, understanding of task instructions and maintenance/manipulation capacity – mediate this relation.