Although there appears to be increasing popularity in neuropsychology across disciplines of study, only modest work has been conducted with preschool and schoolage children. Changes in the structure of cognitive processes during early childhood and the extent of frontal lobe maturation are important to consider when conducting assessments with young children. Many neuropsychological theories, however, are based primarily on adult research (e.g., Luria’s theory) and respective assessment measures are often the extension or slight modification of items from adult assessments. Because adults and children differ on a number of neuropsychological measures, especially at younger ages, the same underlying constructs and interpretive strategies may not be appropriate for use with young children. The CAS and NEPSY are two assessment measures based on Luria’s theory; however, each posits a different conclusion regarding the number of factors that explain neuropsychological functioning in young children. Luria asserted that neuropsychological functioning is comprised of three functional units, while Naglieri and Das (e.g., CAS) suggested a four factor model, and the authors of the NEPSY declared a five factor model of functioning. Due to the emerging development of a child’s frontal lobes, and the inconsistency regarding the number of factors related to neuropsychological functioning in young children, this study examined the CAS and NEPSY using factor analyses and model fit indices to determine the underlying structural model(s). The study also examined the usefulness of combining specific subscales from the CAS, NEPSY, and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III (PPVT-III; Dunn & Dunn, 1997) to create a cross-battery approach to assessing neuropsychological functioning in young children. In addition to the CAS, NEPSY, and PPVT-III, data was obtained from the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992), and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF; Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000) to gather background information and to assess parent and teacher ratings of behavioral and neuropsychological functioning.

The purpose of this study was to determine if attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) subtypes (predominantly hyperactive/impulsive, ADHD-HI; predominantly inattentive, ADHD-IA; combined, ADHD-C) exhibit distinct neuropsychological profiles, using the Attention and Executive Function subtests of the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, (NEPSY) and the omission and commission scores obtained on the Conners' Continuous Performance Test-II (CPT-II), a test that assesses attention processes. The sample was selected using archival data collected in a neurodevelopmental clinic over the past decade and consisted of 138 children between the ages of 6 and 12 years old. Using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) (DSM-IV) criteria, the children were placed in either the ADHD-HI (n = 40), ADHD-IA (n = 35), or ADHD-C (n = 36) group, or a symptom free comparison group (n = 27). It was hypothesized that children with elevations on the impulsivity/ hyperactivity (ADHD-HI and ADHD-C) scale would be impaired on measures of inhibition and those with elevations on the inattention scale (ADHD-IA and ADHD-C) would be impaired on tests of attention, vigilance, and other executive functions. A one-way multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) was conducted (Group X Task), with significant results for overall main effect for group on the 7 dependent variables post hoc tests using the Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) revealed the following: the ADHD-HI group scored significantly lower on tests that require behavioral inhibition processes (Knock and Tap, Statue and CPT-Commission errors). The ADHD-IA group scored significantly lower on tests of problem-solving and planning (Tower) but not on tests of attention as was expected. The ADHD-C group scored significantly lower on tests of inhibition, attention, and other executive functions (Auditory Attention Response Set, Visual Attention, Tower, Knock and Tap, Statue, and CPT-Omission and CPT-Commission errors). Overall results suggest that the NEPSY Attention and Executive Function subtests are able to differentiate ADHD subtypes. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

This study aimed to answer whether current research addressing executive function abilities in cochlear implant users was accurately depicting their impairments. Secondly, this study aimed to identify differences in identification of executive function impairments when measured using parent report versus behavioral measures of executive function. Results suggest that children do have executive function impairments in areas of measure nonverbal planning, problem-solving, monitoring, and self-regulation abilities as well as attention to a visually presented array of pictures which has been documented in previous research. However, it is likely that these abilities are modulated by children with cochlear implants' poorer language ability as demonstrated on the PPVT, which seems not to be related to their age of implantation. The behavioral measures and parent report measures identified impairments in the subsets which required a greater language demand and subsequently subsets that were significantly more difficult for CI children.

Thèse (M.Ps.)--Université Laval, 2003. / Bibliogr.: f. 99-110. Publié aussi en version électronique.

A Doença Falciforme (DF) constitui patologia hematológica que leva a diversas complicações sistêmicas, sobretudo sequelas neurológicas e déficits cognitivos. Algumas pesquisas têm correlacionado exames de Imagem por Ressonância Magnética (IRM) e Doppler Transcraniano (DTC) com avaliações neuropsicológicas em crianças com DF, sinalizando prejuízos cognitivos específicos e déficit intelectual geral que tendem a predispor ao baixo desempenho acadêmico e maior índice de retenção escolar. No Brasil há alta prevalência dessa doença, tornando-se importante a realização de estudos em crianças, visto que o diagnóstico precoce de dificuldades neuropsicológicas possibilita intervenções de caráter preventivo e formulação de programas de reabilitação em quadros de disfunção cerebral. Objetivo: Caracterizar o desempenho neuropsicológico e comportamental de crianças com DF, na faixa de 7 a 12 anos. Pretende-se avaliar e descrever as principais funções cognitivas (atenção/função executiva, aprendizagem e memória, linguagem, processamento visoespacial, função sensoriomotora) e possíveis dificuldades comportamentais e correlacionar esses resultados com variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas. Método: Participaram dessa pesquisa 60 crianças, compondo dois grupos de 30 voluntários (clínico e controle), pareados em função do sexo, origem escolar e idade. Foram utilizados como instrumentos de avaliação psicológica: QI Estimado do WISC III e Matrizes Progressivas Coloridas de Raven, NEPSY II - Avaliação Neuropsicológica do Desenvolvimento e o Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). O Grupo Clínico realizou exame neurológico clínico, IRM, DTC e hemograma. Resultados: As crianças com DF apresentaram significativos prejuízos no desempenho intelectual geral e déficits em diversos domínios neuropsicológicos específicos, principalmente função executiva, linguagem, memória visoespacial e habilidade visoespacial, comparativamente ao Grupo Controle. Nos exames médicos do Grupo Clínico, todos DTC foram considerados dentro da faixa normal e na IRM houve prevalência de 24% da amostra com infarto cerebral silencioso (ICS). O comprometimento na capacidade intelectual geral, na memória narrativa e visoespacial e no processamento fonológico foram mais significativos no Grupo com ICS. Essas diversas alterações neuropsicológicas no Grupo Clínico tendem a predispor a dificuldades no desempenho acadêmico e maior repetência escolar. Além disso, houve evidências de significativos índices de problemas comportamentais e emocionais nas crianças com DF. Observou-se declínio cognitivo em distintas funções neuropsicológicas com o aumento da idade cronológica, porém não foi evidenciada influência das variáveis como sexo, tipo genético, tipo de medicação e índices do hemograma nos resultados neuropsicológicos e comportamentais das crianças. Esses resultados trazem relevantes implicações para o tratamento dos portadores de DF, pois ressaltam a importância do acompanhamento multiprofissional e a necessidade da realização da avaliação neuropsicológica e de adequada intervenção em centros de reabilitação, com objetivo de promover melhor qualidade de vida e condições favoráveis ao desenvolvimento dessas crianças (CAPES e FAPESP). / The Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a haematological pathology that leads to several systemic complications, especially neurological sequelae and cognitive deficits. Some studies have correlated exams of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography with neuropsychological assessment in children with SCD, indicating specific cognitive impairments and general intellectual deficit that tend to predispose to poor academic performance and higher rates of school retention. In Brazil there is a high prevalence of this disease, making it important to conduct studies in children, since early diagnosis of neuropsychological difficulties enables preventive interventions and formulation of rehabilitation programs in frames of brain dysfunction. Objective: To characterize the behavioral and neuropsychological performance of children with SCD, in the range 7-12 years. Aims to assess and describe the main cognitive functions (attention / executive function, learning and memory, language, visuospatial processing, sensorimotor function) and possible behavioral difficulties and to correlate these results with clinical and sociodemographic variables. Method: In this study, participated 60 children, also composing two groups of 30 volunteers (clinical and control) matched for sex, age and school origin. Were used as instruments of psychological assessment: IQ Estimate the WISC III and Raven\'s Coloured Progressive Matrices, NEPSY II - Neuropsychological Development and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The Clinical Group conducted clinical neurological examination, MRI, TCD and blood count. Results: Children with SCD in neuropsychological profile showed impairments in general intellectual functioning and deficits in several specific neuropsychological domains, especially executive function, language, visuospatial memory and visuospatial skills compared to the Control Group. In medical examinationof Clinical Group, all TCD were considered within the normal range and prevalence of MRI was 24% of the sample with silent cerebral infarction (ICS). The impairment in general intellectual ability, narrative and visuospatial memory and phonological processing were more significant in the Group with ICS. These diverse neuropsychological deficits in Clinical Group tend to predispose to difficulties in academic performance and increased school failure. Furthermore, there was evidence of significant levels of behavioral and emotional problems in children with SCD. Observed cognitive decline in various neuropsychological functions with increasing chronologic age, but it has not shown the influence of variables such as gender,iables such as gender, genetic type, type of medication and the blood count indices in neuropsychological and behavioral outcomes in these children. These results provide relevant implications for the treatment of patients with SCD, because it emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary monitoring and the need to conduct neuropsychological assessment and adequate intervention in rehabilitation centers with the aim of promoting a better quality of life and favorable conditions for the development of these children. (CAPES e FAPESP).

A Doença Falciforme (DF) constitui patologia hematológica que leva a diversas complicações sistêmicas, sobretudo sequelas neurológicas e déficits cognitivos. Algumas pesquisas têm correlacionado exames de Imagem por Ressonância Magnética (IRM) e Doppler Transcraniano (DTC) com avaliações neuropsicológicas em crianças com DF, sinalizando prejuízos cognitivos específicos e déficit intelectual geral que tendem a predispor ao baixo desempenho acadêmico e maior índice de retenção escolar. No Brasil há alta prevalência dessa doença, tornando-se importante a realização de estudos em crianças, visto que o diagnóstico precoce de dificuldades neuropsicológicas possibilita intervenções de caráter preventivo e formulação de programas de reabilitação em quadros de disfunção cerebral. Objetivo: Caracterizar o desempenho neuropsicológico e comportamental de crianças com DF, na faixa de 7 a 12 anos. Pretende-se avaliar e descrever as principais funções cognitivas (atenção/função executiva, aprendizagem e memória, linguagem, processamento visoespacial, função sensoriomotora) e possíveis dificuldades comportamentais e correlacionar esses resultados com variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas. Método: Participaram dessa pesquisa 60 crianças, compondo dois grupos de 30 voluntários (clínico e controle), pareados em função do sexo, origem escolar e idade. Foram utilizados como instrumentos de avaliação psicológica: QI Estimado do WISC III e Matrizes Progressivas Coloridas de Raven, NEPSY II - Avaliação Neuropsicológica do Desenvolvimento e o Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). O Grupo Clínico realizou exame neurológico clínico, IRM, DTC e hemograma. Resultados: As crianças com DF apresentaram significativos prejuízos no desempenho intelectual geral e déficits em diversos domínios neuropsicológicos específicos, principalmente função executiva, linguagem, memória visoespacial e habilidade visoespacial, comparativamente ao Grupo Controle. Nos exames médicos do Grupo Clínico, todos DTC foram considerados dentro da faixa normal e na IRM houve prevalência de 24% da amostra com infarto cerebral silencioso (ICS). O comprometimento na capacidade intelectual geral, na memória narrativa e visoespacial e no processamento fonológico foram mais significativos no Grupo com ICS. Essas diversas alterações neuropsicológicas no Grupo Clínico tendem a predispor a dificuldades no desempenho acadêmico e maior repetência escolar. Além disso, houve evidências de significativos índices de problemas comportamentais e emocionais nas crianças com DF. Observou-se declínio cognitivo em distintas funções neuropsicológicas com o aumento da idade cronológica, porém não foi evidenciada influência das variáveis como sexo, tipo genético, tipo de medicação e índices do hemograma nos resultados neuropsicológicos e comportamentais das crianças. Esses resultados trazem relevantes implicações para o tratamento dos portadores de DF, pois ressaltam a importância do acompanhamento multiprofissional e a necessidade da realização da avaliação neuropsicológica e de adequada intervenção em centros de reabilitação, com objetivo de promover melhor qualidade de vida e condições favoráveis ao desenvolvimento dessas crianças (CAPES e FAPESP). / The Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a haematological pathology that leads to several systemic complications, especially neurological sequelae and cognitive deficits. Some studies have correlated exams of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography with neuropsychological assessment in children with SCD, indicating specific cognitive impairments and general intellectual deficit that tend to predispose to poor academic performance and higher rates of school retention. In Brazil there is a high prevalence of this disease, making it important to conduct studies in children, since early diagnosis of neuropsychological difficulties enables preventive interventions and formulation of rehabilitation programs in frames of brain dysfunction. Objective: To characterize the behavioral and neuropsychological performance of children with SCD, in the range 7-12 years. Aims to assess and describe the main cognitive functions (attention / executive function, learning and memory, language, visuospatial processing, sensorimotor function) and possible behavioral difficulties and to correlate these results with clinical and sociodemographic variables. Method: In this study, participated 60 children, also composing two groups of 30 volunteers (clinical and control) matched for sex, age and school origin. Were used as instruments of psychological assessment: IQ Estimate the WISC III and Raven\'s Coloured Progressive Matrices, NEPSY II - Neuropsychological Development and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The Clinical Group conducted clinical neurological examination, MRI, TCD and blood count. Results: Children with SCD in neuropsychological profile showed impairments in general intellectual functioning and deficits in several specific neuropsychological domains, especially executive function, language, visuospatial memory and visuospatial skills compared to the Control Group. In medical examinationof Clinical Group, all TCD were considered within the normal range and prevalence of MRI was 24% of the sample with silent cerebral infarction (ICS). The impairment in general intellectual ability, narrative and visuospatial memory and phonological processing were more significant in the Group with ICS. These diverse neuropsychological deficits in Clinical Group tend to predispose to difficulties in academic performance and increased school failure. Furthermore, there was evidence of significant levels of behavioral and emotional problems in children with SCD. Observed cognitive decline in various neuropsychological functions with increasing chronologic age, but it has not shown the influence of variables such as gender,iables such as gender, genetic type, type of medication and the blood count indices in neuropsychological and behavioral outcomes in these children. These results provide relevant implications for the treatment of patients with SCD, because it emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary monitoring and the need to conduct neuropsychological assessment and adequate intervention in rehabilitation centers with the aim of promoting a better quality of life and favorable conditions for the development of these children. (CAPES e FAPESP).

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2015-12-01T20:35:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PriscilaMagalhaesBarros_DISSERT.pdf: 2266258 bytes, checksum: 5fcfac1c6ff4213a3e3c4c4aa0f05f90 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2015-12-08T22:57:04Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 PriscilaMagalhaesBarros_DISSERT.pdf: 2266258 bytes, checksum: 5fcfac1c6ff4213a3e3c4c4aa0f05f90 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-08T22:57:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PriscilaMagalhaesBarros_DISSERT.pdf: 2266258 bytes, checksum: 5fcfac1c6ff4213a3e3c4c4aa0f05f90 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-25 / Este estudo objetivou estabelecer o perfil desenvolvimental de componentes executivos no desenvolvimento t?pico infantil. Trata-se de estudo correlacional, transversal, de natureza predominantemente quantitativa. Os instrumentos de coleta de dados s?o os subtestes do dom?nio ?Aten??o/ Fun??es Executivas? do NEPSY-II. Foram avaliadas 80 crian?as entre 5 e 8 anos de idade, de ambos os sexo, estudantes de escolas p?blicas e particulares da cidade de Natal - RN. A amostra foi segmentada em intervalos de seis meses para posterior an?lise das estrat?gias e tipos de erros. Foram realizadas an?lises de vari?ncia (multivariada e univariada), testes post hoc de Tukey e Games-Howell para verificar o efeito da idade sobre o desempenho nos testes. Correla??es posteriores indicaram a for?a e a dire??o do relacionamento entre as vari?veis. Identificaram-se dois picos de desenvolvimento no intervalo de seis meses adotado para as habilidades de aten??o seletiva e controle inibit?rio. Os resultados indicam que n?o h? influencia significativa do sexo e tipo de escola sobre o desempenho da amostra. O desempenho dos pr?-escolares (5 e 6 anos) foi inferior aos demais subgrupos na maioria dos testes. Destaca-se o papel do discurso de autoregula??o entre os pr?-escolares durante as atividades de maior demanda executiva e o recurso da abstra??o como estrat?gia de resolu??o entre os mais velhos. Identificaram-se trajet?rias de desenvolvimento semelhantes entre as habilidades de aten??o seletiva e controle inibit?rio. De maneira geral, h? decr?scimo no n?mero de erros e aumento de acertos com a progress?o da idade. Pesquisas longitudinais futuras podem ampliar a faixa et?ria abarcada neste estudo, investigando o curso desenvolvimental das habilidades executivas. / This study aimed to establish the developmental profile of executives components in typical child development. This is a correlational cross-sectional study of predominantly quantitative. The instruments for data collection are the subtests included in the NEPSY-II Attention and Executive Functioning domain. Eighty children between 5 and 8 years of age, of both genders, students from public and private schools in the city of Natal were evaluated. The sample was divided into six-month intervals for subsequent analysis of strategies and types of errors. Analysis of variance (univariate and multivariate) and Tukey and Games-Howell post hoc tests were conducted to verify the effect of age on test performance. Subsequent correlations indicate the strength and direction of the relationship between variables. Were identified two peaks of development in the six-month interval adopted for the skills of selective attention and inhibitory control. The results indicate that there?s no significant influence of sex and type of school on the performance of the sample. The performance of preschool children (5 and 6 years) was lower than the other subgroups in most tests. Highlights the role of autoregulation discourse among preschool children during activities of greater executive demand and the abstraction resource as a resolution strategy between the older. Were identified similar development trajectories among selective attention abilities and inhibitory control. In general, there is a decrease in the number of mistakes and increase of success with the age progression. Future longitudinal research can extend the age range encompassed in this study, investigating the developmental course of executive abilities.

Executive function (EF) processes are crucial for meeting demands in the classroom. Because of this impact on schooling, it is important to have tools that accurately measure EF in order to facilitate the identification of student needs and the development of interventions. This project assessed the concurrent, criterion-related validity of one of these tools, the Comprehensive Executive Functioning Inventory, Self-Report (CEFI-SR; Naglieri & Goldstein, 2013). This study correlated adolescents’ reports about their own behavior to scores derived from a direct measure of executive function to determine if teens were able to accurately rate their own EF abilities, indicating that the CEFI-SR had concurrent validity. Seventy-nine seventh and eighth grade students from a suburban middle school were recruited. The average age for the sample was 13 years and 10 months old, and 62% of the sample consisted of female students. Participants completed the CEFI-SR in small groups, and then, the lead examiner returned to the school to complete direct one-on-one testing with each student. Data were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlations and t-tests. The t-tests were used to determine if significant differences between groups were present. Results from the t-tests indicated that there were no significant differences in performance across genders or grades. Additionally, no significant correlations were found between the rating scale scores and the results of the direct testing. These findings do not support the hypotheses that the CEFI-SR subscales would have moderate correlations with the direct testing scores from the NEPSY-II, indicating that the two measures may not be measuring the same constructs. / School Psychology

Cette étude vise à vérifier la relation entre la prématurité et les habiletés d'attention à l'âge scolaire. Quarante-trois enfants prématurés et 31 enfants nés à terme âgés de huit et neuf ans sont évalués à l'aide d'un questionnaire comportemental (CPRS-R) et d'un test neuropsychologique (NEPSY) de l'attention. Les associations entre ces deux mesures sont faibles. Aussi, les résultats montrent que, selon l'évaluation faite par les parents, les enfants prématurés n'affichent pas plus de comportements inattentifs et/ou hyperactifs que les enfants témoins. Par contre, ils obtiennent des performances significativement inférieures à l'évaluation neuropsychologique des habiletés attentionnelles et exécutives. Les analyses indiquent également que l'adversité familiale apporte une contribution unique à l'explication des comportements inattentifs. Par ailleurs, le degré de risque néonatal n'est associé à aucune des deux mesures de l'attention. Cette étude conclut qu'à l'âge scolaire, les enfants prématurés sont sujets à présenter des difficultés au plan de l'attention et des fonctions exécutives.

The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) and the NEPSY, A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, to differentiate between the subtypes of Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). The CAS and NEPSY are neuropsychological instruments which provide norms for AD/HD children in general. This study examined the performance of the two subtypes of AD/HD on the CAS and NEPSY. In addition, this study examined the performance of the two AD/HD groups on the Screening Test for Auditory Processing Disorders (SCAN). Since AD/HD children tend to have difficulty with language, the SCAN was used to determine if any of the AD/HD subjects had auditory processing difficulties that might impact their performance on the CAS and/or NEPSY subtests. The sample consisted of 118 children between the ages of 8 and 12 years of age. Using the DSM-IV criteria, the children were diagnosed as having three types of AD/HD: A Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type (AD/HD-HI), a Predominantly Inattentive Type (AD/HD-I) and a Combined Type The subtypes were also identified by the Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale-Home Version (ADDES-H). Only two subtypes, AD/HD-I and AD/HD-C, were identified by the ADDES-H. There were not enough AD/HD-HI subjects to include in the study. Therefore, this study focused on the AD/HD-I and AD/HD-C subtypes. A binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted on the AD/HD-I and AD/HD-C subtypes with selected subtests of the NEPSY and the four PASS Scales of the CAS. Results indicated a significant difference between the AD/HD-I and AD/HD-C groups on the Tower subtest of the NEPSY and the Planning Scale of the CAS. The Tower and the Planning Scale are both purported measures of executive functioning; however, results of the Planning Scale were in an unexpected direction. No significant difference was found between the two AD/HD groups on the other subtests examined. The results of the SCAN analysis suggested there were no significant differences in auditory processing between the two AD/HD groups. Recommendations for future research are discussed.