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Neuropsychological tests and functional impairment in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorders with special reference to memory disturbance /Dige, Niels, January 2010 (has links)
Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2010.
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An Exploratory Analysis of the Ecological Validity of a Performance-Based Assessment of AttentionLee, Eun- Yeop 29 September 2009 (has links)
Executive functions impact everyday functioning. An individual’s ability to adapt
to and navigate their physical and social environments is largely determined by the ability
to organize oneself, to plan and to coordinate activities. Despite the wide variety of
cognitive tests that assess various aspects of executive function, there has been little work
to validate the use of these measures in predicting real world functioning (Sbordone,
Seyranian, & Ruff, 2000), particularly in children where characterization of executive
function is less specified. Evaluating the ecological validity of neuropsychological tests
has become an increasingly important topic over the past decade (Chaytor & Schmitter-
Edgecombe, 2003). Ecologically valid assessments of executive function and attentional
deficits provide insight into deficits related to the child’s everyday adaptive functioning,
which can assist in identifying targets for interventions. Although many performance
based measures and caregiver behavior checklists exist for assessing a wide range of
behaviors and adaptive functioning skills in children, comprehensive measures of
executive functions are relatively new and largely unexplored.
The purpose of this study was to investigate and to define better the relationship
between attention and corresponding behaviors that represent executive functions and
social/adaptive functioning. More specifically, this study sought to explore the correlation
between ratings of varying subcomponents of attention (e.g., selective attention, sustained
attention, and attentional control/switching), executive function behaviors, and ratings of
social/adaptive functioning. Additionally, gender considerations were examined with
aims to determine how this factor may affect the degree of relationship between the
proposed variables.
Results of multiple regression and correlational analyses revealed the ability of
child attentional performance to predict executive function and social/adaptive
functioning behaviors. As parent/caregiver and teacher ratings of executive function
behaviors increased thus noting adept skills in these areas of functioning child
performance on measures of selective attention, sustained attention, and attentional
control/shifting were also reported to improve. Future research should continue to explore
the construct validity, positive predictive power, negative predictive power, diagnostic
sensitivity and specificity of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch).
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Development and preliminary application of an instrument to detect partial dissociation of emotional mental state knowledge and non-emotional mental state knowledge.Scheepers, Stefan. January 2010 (has links)
Theory of mind is the ability to have mental states about mental states. Among theories
concerning the structure and role of theory of mind is the view that theory of mind is the
cognitive component of empathy. It is proposed that there is partial dissociation within theory of
mind between emotional state representation and non-emotional state representation. In trying to
test this hypothesis, an instrument was developed and implemented in a pilot study. Current
theory of mind tests are reviewed and design features discussed in relation to the new hypothesis.
The instrument aims to measure emotional and non-emotional state representation on separate
subscales, as well as coding representations from emotional stories and non-emotional stories
separately. The instrument was administered to 33 third level or higher students from the
University of KwaZulu-Natal. Groups were chosen from science major (n = 9) and humanities
major (n = 24) students. The findings fail to show the group performance patterns reported in
literature, for example that humanities students tend to score higher in ToM tests than science
students. A number of factors might contribute to the finding, but principally, low sample size
and unequal general cognitive ability between groups are proposed as vital. Problems with the
pilot study are identified and improvements suggested for subsequent testing. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.
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Predicting closed head injury status with the Dean-Woodcock Sensory Motor BatteryBudenz-Anders, Judey January 2006 (has links)
The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the Dean-Woodcock Sensory Motor Battery (DWSMB) as a diagnostic tool for identifying individuals with and without closed-head injury, comparing the predictive power of a two- and three-factor representation (DWSMB; Dean & Woodcock, 2003). The current study's major research questions focused on the predictive utility of the structure of the DWSMB. The simplified two-factor model (Total Sensory and Total Motor), based on the DWSMB manual (Dean & Woodcock), was compared to a three-factor theoretical model (Basic Sensory, Higher Sensory and Motor Functions) (R.S.Dean, personal communication, March 29, 2006) for this study. Logistic Regression was used to analyze the data. Results from this study demonstrate that when using the two-factor solution, the overall correct prediction of group membership was 73.8 % (59.4% for CHI and 85.2% for normals). The Total Motor Impairment variable was the only meaningful predictor. The results from the three-factor solution show an 84.2 % overall correct prediction rate (71.4 % for CHI and 95.1 % for normals). The significant contributors for identifying CHI when using the three-factor model included Basic Sensory and Motor Functions. Everything favors the three-factor model as being more precise. All indicators of prediction accuracy and goodness of fit favored the three-factor model. Based on these results, the DWSMB was determined to be a good screening instrument for identifying children in school contexts who should be referred for a neuropsychological examination to confirm pre-existing CHI that interfere with school functioning. / Department of Educational Psychology
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Construct validity of the Dean-Woodcock Neuropsychological Assessment System Sensory Motor Battery : an exploratory factor analysisLewis, Morris N. January 1997 (has links)
The purpose of this study was to add to the body of psychometric evidence underlying the Dean-Woodcock Sensory Motor Battery (DWSMB) and the theory of sensory motor functioning. Secondly, this study added to the body of literature concerning the role of both cortical and subcortical areas of the brain in motor functioning.The DWSMB is a new battery designed to meet the emerging trends in neuropsychology. It combines the qualitative functionality of the sensory and motor tests used by clinical neurologists with the quantitative, performance-driven sensory motor tests found in traditional neuropsychological assessment batteries. The DWSMB consists of eight tests of sensory functions, seven tests of cortical motor functions, and three tests of subcortical motor functions.A population sample of 441 participants were administered the DWSMB, 340 of which had no reported neurological or psychiatric history. These data were analyzed using an exploratory factor analysis to determine the number of constructs underlying the DWSMB. The study found three factors: a Complex Sensory Motor Factor, a Simple Sensory Factor, and a Subcortical Motor Factor. The three constructs found in this study provided empirical support for the underlying theory of the DWSMB, which will allow neuropsychologists to make inferences about the resulting scores. / Department of Educational Psychology
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Screening for the interface between attention, executive functioning, and working memory : a cluster and profile analytic studyWoodin, Michael F. January 1998 (has links)
The purpose of the study was to examine the utility of profile analysis using the SCAD index of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) and behavioral rating scales as brief and accessible elements of a standard neuropsychological battery by which to screen for deficits or assets within the interface between attention, executive functions, and working memory. An ancillary purpose was to examine the further role and diagnostic efficacy of using a continuous performance test of vigilance as a discriminating measure between specific clinical groups. Three subtypes of individuals referred to a diagnostic assessment clinic were identified by means of a three-stage cluster analysis in a sample of 86 children and adolescents on the basis of scores attained on specific neuropsychological, cognitive, and behavioral variables. It was also found that the assigned clusters exhibited a high degree of consistency with the individual diagnoses ultimately rendered during the evaluation. The variables which best discriminated the three subtypes were identified through a forward stepwise discriminant analysis and subjected to multiple validation procedures. The significant and discriminating variables included the SCAD Index, the Attention Problems and Hyperactivity scales of the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC) and the Perceptual Organization factor of the WISC-III. It was also determined that the overall index and a time-related measure from the Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CCPT) were indeed able to differentiate clinical groups. Functional and theoretical implications were addressed in terms of their relevance for examining the interface between attention, executive functions, and working memory as well as for the identification and treatment of those diagnosed with ADHD and LD, or individuals considered to be gifted or intellectually advanced. / Department of Educational Psychology
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Development and decline of sensory and motor skills in a normative sample / Sensory and motor skillsWhited, Amber R. 24 January 2012 (has links)
This cross-sectional study evaluated the trend in sensory and motor skill development for an archival dataset used in the standardization of the Dean-Woodcock Sensory Motor Battery (D-WSMB). Measures from the D-WSMB were organized into three broad categories according to a factor model identified by Davis, Finch, Dean and Woodcock (2006). Three primary hypotheses were evaluated: a confirmatory factor analysis would support the Davis et al. model for the current dataset, performance on sensory and motor tasks would exhibit a pattern of development and decline across age levels, and gender would not be a significant factor in variability in performance. CFA results indicated the Davis et al. factor model was a poor fit for the current dataset but that each measure loaded significantly on the factor to which it was assigned. Curve estimation identified a significant quadratic relationship between age and performance on each of the skill categories. A significant age and gender interaction was noted for each skill category. The statistically poor fit of the Davis et al. factor model was thought to be due to potential correlations between factors and between measures within the factors, although further research is needed to evaluate the impact of these relationships on model fit. Results confirmed the hypothesis that sensory and motor skill exhibit a pattern of development and decline across age levels, which can guide the interpretation of performance in a clinical setting. Further research is needed on the nature of the age and gender interaction to clarify the impact on performance on measures of sensory and motor skills. In an addendum to this study, performance on individual measures of the D-WSMB was plotted to provide further guidance in the interpretation of results in clinical settings. / Department of Educational Psychology
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Item response theory and factor analysis applied to the Neuropsychological Symptom Scale (NSS) / Analysis of the NSS / Analysis of the Neuropsychological SymptonLutz, Jacob T. 21 July 2012 (has links)
The Neuropsychological Symptom Inventory (NSI; Rattan, Dean, & Rattan, 1989), a self report measure of psychiatric and neurological symptoms, was revised to be presented in an electronic format. This revised instrument, the Neuropsychological Symptom Scale (Dean, 2010), was administered to 1,141 adult volunteers from a medium-sized Midwestern university. The collected data was subjected to exploratory factor analysis which suggested three primary factors related to emotional, cognitive, and somatosensory functioning. The items on the NSS were then organized into three subscales reflecting these areas of functioning. A fourth experimental subscale was also created to facilitate the collection of data on items that did not load on any of the three primary subscales. Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis and Classical Test Theory (CTT) approaches were then applied and compared as means of developing standard scores on the three primary subscales of the NSS. The results of these analyses are provided along with recommendations related to the further development of the NSS as an assessment tool. / Department of Educational Psychology
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Neuropsychology in the schools : school psychologists' current views, practices, and training with neuropsychological measures.Slonaker, Amanda R. January 2009 (has links)
Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Educational Psychology
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The neuropsychology of autism and Asperger's disorder : evidence for or against a shared spectrumNeal, Tiffany J. 03 May 2014 (has links)
Given the broad public health concern, lack of reliability of diagnosis across providers and substantial resources needed to support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the current study serves to contribute to the field in informing the contexts of both research and clinical service. The utility of a standardized sensory-motor battery was investigated in regards to its ability (1) to determine what, if any, differences exist between ASD diagnoses or subgroups in both sensory functioning and motor functioning; and (2) to determine whether such discrepancies, if they exist, are capable of differentiating groups. Results from the quadratic discriminant analysis demonstrated that the factor scores derived from the Dean-Woodcock Sensory-Motor Battery significantly differentiated the ASD and nonclinical comparison groups. Factor 1 (Simple Sensory Skills) exhibited the strongest relationship, followed by Factor 2 (Cortical Motor and Complex Sensory Skills), then Factor 3 (Subcortical Motor Tasks and Auditory/Visual Acuity Skills). Findings from the study lend initial evidence of the use of the DWSMB as a potential measure to include within the two-stage diagnostic process for ASD. Use of the DWSMB as a screening measure may facilitate access to early intervention services given the primitive nature of sensory-motor tasks. In addition, the availability of the DWSMB as a standardized measure of sensory and motor functioning may promote increased sensitivity and specificity among diagnostic providers thus improving outcomes of individuals with ASD who can access services more readily with earlier, more reliable diagnoses. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / Department of Educational Psychology
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