Researchers have suggested there is a wide range of neuropsychological deficits individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) possess, including impairments in nonverbal reasoning, attention and processing speed, memory, and executive functioning. While growing, examination of the neuropsychological functioning of children and adolescents with AN is quite sparse compared to the abundance of research on adults with AN, and the many conflicting findings have been attributed to inconsistent methodologies across studies. This study examined the neuropsychological functioning of children and adolescents with AN by conducting a quantitative study loosely based on Bayless et al. (2002) and Remberk, Namysłowska, Krempa-Kowalewska, Gadaś, and Skalska (2011). Results indicated verbal intellectual functioning was significantly higher than other intellectual domains, and verbal memory was almost significantly higher than nonverbal memory (p = .051). Negative correlations were found between individual subtests and clinical data (e.g., age of onset of AN and duration of AN) as well as the EDI-3 Personal Alienation scale and the BMI-for-age percentile. Clinical implications include providing treatment improving cognitive functioning and implementing a biopsychosocial model.

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abstract: The link between childhood neuropsychological deficits and early-onset offending--the assumed precursor to life-course persistent offending--has been well established, yet the underlying mechanisms facilitating this relationship are less understood. Support is growing for the claim that self-control is a key mechanism that links neuropsychological deficits to early-onset offending. Despite this, findings are mixed with regard to the mediating effect of self-control in the relationship between neuropsychological deficits and antisocial behavior. These studies largely support the notion that self-control exerts a mediating effect on neuropsychological deficits when the offending being studied is less serious. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), the present study seeks to build upon the existing literature by examining whether self-control mediates the relationship between neuropsychological deficits and two types of early-onset offending--low and high risk--as a means of testing core tenets of Gottfredson and Hirschi's (1990) and Moffitt's (1993) criminological theories. Findings show that while self-control and neuropsychological deficits independently predict general early-onset offending, these effects vary as a consequence of early-onset offender type. The results point to the need for future research to explore the possibility that the early-onset offender group that leads to persistent offending could be more precisely defined. Examining early-onset offending as a single construct limits our ability to make inferences about those offenders that are the most persistent in their offending patterns and, arguably, more likely to continue offending over the life-course. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Criminology and Criminal Justice 2014

Dementia is prevalent among elderly people. As the world population ages, it is projected that the number of people affected by dementia may triple in the next 50 years. Over the last two decades, research has focused on identifying potentially modifiable risk factors in development and progression of dementia, such as vitamin B12 and folate. Results concerning the effects of low folate and vitamin B12 on cognitive performance are mixed. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of vitamin deficiency on cognitive functioning in a clinical sample of elderly individuals with cognitive problems using a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. A retrospective chart-review was performed on the 102 records of patients from the Geriatrics Clinic at the University of North Texas Health Science Center who presented with cognitive deficits. Charts were reviewed to obtain data on vitamin supplementation, vitamin status, history of chronic conditions and other biochemical data. The available database was used to obtain data on neuropsychological assessment. The study demonstrated mild association between vitamin B12 and folate status and cognitive deficits. There appeared to be a higher cut-off level that is above the traditionally used levels for vitamin B12 and folate deficiency concentrations at which cognitive deficits became more pronounced. Clinical applications, limitations and suggestions for future research were discussed.

Although many theorists have speculated that chronic pain may be linked to some sort of central neuropsychological integration deficit, a review of the current literature reveals no empirical support for this theory. This study attempts to assess the severity, if any, of neuropsychological deficits in chronic pain subjects by using a neuropsychological screen developed at the University of North Texas. Also, presented are studies of correlations between the UNT Neuropsych-screen and the MMPI. the Dallas Pain Questionnaire (DPQ), the Dallas Pain Drawing CDPD), and time since injury in order to assess any possible relationships. The subjects in this study consist of 100 volunteers. Of these subjects, 74 were patients of the Spinal and Chronic Pain Center at Medical Arts Hospital in Dallas, Texas and represented the clinical population. The remaining 26 subjects were staff volunteers from the hospital . The results of the study indicate significant differences between chronic pain subjects and non-pain subjects across many areas of neuropsychological functioning, as well as other significant correlations among many of the variables. The implications of this study are elaborated upon, in the discussion section, in detail along with limitations and future research directions.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology) --University of Limpopo, 2007 / Disruptive Behaviour Disorders are often associated with high rates of school drop outs, academic skills deficits and low achievement, drug abuse, low self esteem, depression, delinquency and incarceration. The main aim of the study was to establish whether children with DBDs are cognitively and/or neurologically impaired. The study investigated (1) whether children with DBDs show deficiencies in cognitive and motor functions and (2) whether gender and subtype influence cognitive and motor functions. Method: The sample of 137 children with DBDs (ADHD, ODD and CD) and those without a diagnosis of DBDs was drawn from children aged between 8 and 15 years. They were assessed using instruments that were selected to be measures of Executive Functions, cognitive functioning, and motor functions. The scores obtained from the administration of these measures were compared for significant differences between the DBD subtypes and a non-DBD control group as a possible function of gender. Results: The findings indicate that children with symptoms of DBDs performed poorer than the control group on all tests with the exception of the Digits backward. EF and motor impairments are associated with ADHD-C and ADHD-PI, and not with ADHD-HI, ODD and CD. Although among the DBDs, neuropsychological and cognitive impairments have been found to be severe in children with ADHD-PI and ADHD-C, the ADHD-C subtype showed qualitatively larger differences with the normal control group on most measures. There were no differences found between the genders in the performance on all tests that were administered. Conclusion Children of the ADHD-C and ADHD-PI subtypes are significantly more impaired on measures of Executive, cognitive and motor functions than those with ADHD-HI, ODD and CD and those without externalising disorders. However, the ADHD-C subtype found to be more severely impaired when compared with the ADHD-PI subtype.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka flexenheter och flexteam som startades i en av Sveriges kommun, för att anpassa lärmiljöer till elever med funktionsnedsättningar, framför allt elever inom autism och ADHD. Undersökningen bygger på följande frågor: Vad är syfte med denna valda organisation? Hur bidrar organisationen till tillgänglighet för denna grupp elever? Vilka utmaningar och utvecklingsområden kan identifieras inom den valda organisationen? Kvalitativ forskningsmetod användes i studien och semi-strukturerade intervju och fokusgruppsintervjuer genomfördes för att samla in empirin. Teoriansatsen bygger på Bronfenbrenners systemteori samt Nilholms specialpedagogiska perspektiv. Resultatet visar att flexenhetens- och flexteamens organisation erbjuder tillgängliga lärmiljöer för denna grupp elever genom flexkompetens och det kompensatoriska perspektivet men, att det kritiska perspektivet spelar också roll i den flexibla organisationen. Utmaningar och utvecklingsområden ligger i implementering av arbetssätt och förhållningssätt hos andra lärare så att dessa elever kan inkluderas ide vanliga klassrummen. Det långsiktiga målet för kommunen är att alla lärare anpassar undervisning och miljö till dessa elever med hjälp av erfarna flexpedagogerna. / The purpose of this study is to elucidate why one of Sweden’s municipalities chose to implement a new way of including students with neuropsychological deficits, especially ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). The municipality decided to offer adapted resource rooms and flexible well-trained teachers to this group of students as a way of ensuring them accessible learning environments. The questions raised in this research are the following: what is the aim of the implementation of this flexible organisation to this group of students? In which ways does this organisation contribute in providing an inclusive learning environment to these students? What are the challenges and areas of improvement within such an organisation? The research method is based on semi-structured interviews with, on the one hand, flexible teachers in two of the municipality’s schools, and on the other hand, the developer of this flexible organisation for this group of students. As theoretical frame, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory as well as Nilholm’s special education perspectives were used in this study. The results of the research show that this organisation really offers accessible learning environments to this group of students by using the compensatory and critical perspectives. The challenges are that the other teachers need to learn from them in order to be able to really include these students in mainstream regular classes. The long-term goal of this municipality is to see all the students with special needs included in regular classes with the help of flexible teachers, trained in these students’ special needs. The flexible teachers’ mission is to help the other teachers and show them that inclusion of these students in mainstream regular classes is a possible mission.