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Zhang L, Wang R, Chen L. The Impact of Harsh Parental Discipline and Emotional Warmth on Adolescent Problem Behaviors. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2024; 17:2309-2319. [PMID: 38860193 PMCID: PMC11164210 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s466830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study, grounded in Social Information Processing Theory, integrates emotional warmth and harsh discipline into a unified model to investigate their differential effects on adolescents' internalized and externalized problem behaviors, as well as to explore the potential divergences in the mediating role of inhibitory control. Patients and Methods Four hundred and twenty-eight adolescents completed validated scales of Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran (EMBU), Inhibitory Control and The Youth Self-Report (YSR), Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 and Mplus7.4 to examine the relationship between harsh parental discipline, emotional warmth, adolescent inhibitory control, and internalized and externalized problem behaviors and the mediating effects. Results The present study revealed that (1) Harsh parental discipline negatively predicted both internalized and externalized problems in adolescents, while emotional warmth from fathers positively predicted internalized problem behaviors; (2) Inhibitory control acted as a mediator in the impact of harsh parental discipline on problem behaviors, while the mediating effect between paternal emotional warmth and internalization issues was not significant. Conclusion The impact of emotional warmth and harsh discipline on adolescent internalized and externalized problems varied. In families practicing a mixed parenting style, harsh discipline had a more significant effect on adolescents, primarily mediated through inhibitory control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludan Zhang
- Development and Planning Department, Weifang University of Science and Technology, Weifang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruijie Wang
- School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liang Chen
- School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China
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2
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Yin K, Wu Q, Gai X. Comparative Analysis Between Directly Measured and Parent-Evaluated Executive Function: Predicting Children's Academic Achievement and Social Development in a One-Year Longitudinal Study. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2024; 17:2255-2270. [PMID: 38855480 PMCID: PMC11162228 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s461720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine differences between directly measured and parent-evaluated executive function in predicting children's academic achievement and social development, and to explore the mediating roles of peer status and social competence in the effects of executive function on social behavior. Patients and Methods The study followed 106 first-grade children in an elementary school in China for one year. Regression and mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 21.0 to test the hypotheses. Results First, in a comparison of the predictive role of directly measured and parent-evaluated executive function, directly measured executive function played a more important role in predicting academic achievement, while parent-evaluated executive function played a greater role in predicting social development. Second, parent-evaluated executive function influenced social behavior primarily through social competence and peer status, with social competence playing a more significant mediating role than peer status. Conclusion Compared with previous studies, the results of the present study provide more direct evidence for the relationship and differences between directly measured and parent-evaluated executive function, further suggesting that they have different efficacy and predictive goals, while the present study also describes the pathways through which executive function influences social behavior: the mediating role of peer status and social competence. This suggests that, on the one hand, educators or researchers need to choose appropriate measures of executive function for their own purposes and, on the other hand, in order to promote the development of children's social behavior, they need to focus on the development of children's executive function, social competence and peer relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Yin
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Faculty of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaosong Gai
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
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Mărcuș O, Rusu R, Mueller SC, Visu-Petra L. To be or not to be flexible: A hierarchical model of affective flexibility in typical development and internalizing problems. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2024; 246:104275. [PMID: 38703655 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Affective flexibility is defined as a complex executive function which enables individuals to successfully alternate between distinct emotional and non-emotional features of a given situation in order to attain a specific goal. A large body of research has focused exclusively on flexibility in a non-emotional context, although most of our interactions with our environment are emotionally satiated. Our main aim was to propose a hierarchical framework to describe this construct from a macro-level perspective to a more nuanced and micro-level perspective, including three different levels of affective flexibility: elementary, shifting, and generative. Next, we employed this hierarchical framework to examine the role played by affective flexibility in typical development and different forms of developmental psychopathology. Lastly, we discuss how this knowledge could inform future prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing cognitive vulnerability to developmental psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oana Mărcuș
- Human Behaviour and Development Research Lab, Department of Psychology, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, Sibiu, Romania; Research in Individual Differences and Legal Psychology (RIDDLE) Lab, Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Rebeca Rusu
- Research in Individual Differences and Legal Psychology (RIDDLE) Lab, Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Sven C Mueller
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
| | - Laura Visu-Petra
- Research in Individual Differences and Legal Psychology (RIDDLE) Lab, Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Social & Human Research, Romanian Academy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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4
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Pablo-Ríos MV, Navarro-Asencio E, Mateos-Gordo P, García-Gómez R, Porras-Truque C, García Moreno LM. Dysexecutive symptomatology in everyday functioning and academic achievement in adolescents. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1323317. [PMID: 38863662 PMCID: PMC11165704 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1323317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background During the educational stage, academic achievement depends on various social, family, and personal factors. Among the latter, executive skills in everyday life play a significant role in dealing with the academic demands of adolescents. Therefore, the aim of this study is to ascertain the effects of executive symptomatology in everyday functioning on academic achievement in adolescents. Method The study involved 910 students aged between 13 and 15 years (M = 14.09, SD = 0.68) from both public and private schools in the Community of Madrid. The DEX, BDEFS-CA, and BRIEF-SR questionnaires were utilised to assess executive difficulties, while grades in language, mathematics, and natural sciences were used as a measure of academic achievement. Results The data revealed statistically significant differences in working memory, emotional control, materials organisation, and task completion. In relation to language and natural sciences subjects. In the case of mathematics, emotional control and task completion were significant variables. Conclusion Our results indicate that certain executive skills that are manifested in everyday life activities can contribute, albeit in a variable way, to academic achievement in the subjects studied. This aspect is relevant insofar as it allows us to develop preventive interventions based on the executive training of these everyday skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Victoria Pablo-Ríos
- Faculty of Education and Psychology, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology in Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Education, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Enrique Navarro-Asencio
- Department of Research and Psychology in Education, Faculty of Education, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Mateos-Gordo
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology in Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Education, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel García-Gómez
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology in Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Education, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Claudia Porras-Truque
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology in Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Education, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel García Moreno
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology in Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Education, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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5
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Braverman Y, Edmunds SR, Hastedt I, Faja S. Mind the Gap: Executive Function Is Associated with the Discrepancy Between Cognitive and Adaptive Functioning in Autistic Children Without Cognitive Delay. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06354-x. [PMID: 38778001 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06354-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Adaptive functioning is central to autistic individuals' independence and well-being. However, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with poor adaptive functioning, even in the absence of cognitive delays or deficits. This study examined how age and executive function associate with adaptive functioning-particularly the gap between cognitive and adaptive functioning. We addressed our research questions separately for a school-age (N = 101 ages 7-12) cohort and a preschool (N = 48 ages 2 and 4) cohort of autistic children without cognitive delays. Both cohorts of parents reported on their children's adaptive and executive functioning skills. The difference between adaptive and cognitive skills was computed for each participant. For each cohort, we evaluated whether adaptive skills decline with age. Next, we measured, in each cohort, whether children's executive function corresponded with this gap between their adaptive and cognitive skills. Adaptive functioning did not decline relative to cognitive ability in the younger cohort, but the gap was present in the school-age cohort. Yet, reduced executive function consistently corresponded with a greater cognitive-adaptive gap in socialization domains for both preschool and school-age children. Targeting EF, specifically emotional control, during preschool years may support both adaptive functioning and social connectedness for autistic children without cognitive delays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Braverman
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah R Edmunds
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychology & Department of Educational Studies, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Ingrid Hastedt
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan Faja
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston Children's Hospital, Two Brookline Place, Brookline, MA, 0244, USA.
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6
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Pieniak M, Rokosz M, Nawrocka P, Reichert A, Zyzelewicz B, Mahmut MK, Oleszkiewicz A. Null cross-modal effects of olfactory training on visual, auditory or olfactory working memory in 6- to 9-year-old children. Neuropsychol Rehabil 2024:1-22. [PMID: 38762780 DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2024.2343484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Systematic exposure to odours (olfactory training, OT) is a method of smell loss treatment. Due to olfactory system projections to prefrontal brain areas, OT has been hypothesized to enhance cognitive functions, but its effects have been studied predominantly in adults. This study tested OT effects on working memory (WM), i.e., the ability to store and manipulate information for a short time, in healthy children aged 6-9 years. We expected OT to improve olfactory WM and establish cross-modal transfer to visual and auditory WM. Participants performed 12 weeks of bi-daily OT with either 4 odours (lemon, eucalyptus, rose, cloves; OT group) or odourless propylene glycol (placebo group). Pre- and post-training, participants' WM was measured utilizing odours (olfactory WM) or pictures (visual WM) and a word-span task (auditory WM). 84 children (40 girls) completed the study. The analyses revealed no changes in the WM performance following OT. The olfactory WM task was the most difficult for children, highlighting the need to include olfactory-related tasks in educational programmes to improve children's odour knowledge and memory, just as they learn about sounds and pictures. Further neuroimaging research is needed to fully understand the impact of OT on cognitive functions in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Pieniak
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
- Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marta Rokosz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
| | | | - Aleksandra Reichert
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
- Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Mehmet K Mahmut
- Food, Flavour and Fragrance Lab, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
- Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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7
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Di Bello F, Falcone R, Genovesio A. Simultaneous oscillatory encoding of "hot" and "cold" information during social interactions in the monkey medial prefrontal cortex. iScience 2024; 27:109559. [PMID: 38646179 PMCID: PMC11033171 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Social interactions in primates require social cognition abilities such as anticipating the partner's future choices as well as pure cognitive skills involving processing task-relevant information. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been implicated in these cognitive processes. Here, we investigated the neural oscillations underlying the complex social behaviors involving the interplay of social roles (Actor vs. Observer) and interaction types (whether working with a "Good" or "Bad" partner). We found opposite power modulations of the beta and gamma bands by social roles, indicating dedicated processing for task-related information. Concurrently, the interaction type was conveyed by lower frequencies, which are commonly associated with neural circuits linked to performance and reward monitoring. Thus, the mPFC exhibits parallel coding of both "cold" processes (purely cognitive) and "hot" processes (reward and social-related). This allocation of neural resources gives the mPFC a key neural node, flexibly integrating multiple sources of information during social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Di Bello
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Falcone
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Leo M. Davidoff Department of Neurological Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Montefiore Medical Center Bronx, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Aldo Genovesio
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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8
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Ko CH, Lu YC, Lee CH, Liao YC. The influence of adverse childhood experiences and depression on addiction severity among methamphetamine users: exploring the role of perseveration. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1382646. [PMID: 38807693 PMCID: PMC11130423 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1382646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Aims This investigation aimed to clarify the intricate relationship among depression, cognitive function, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and their combined influence on methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). Methods Utilizing a battery of psychological tests, this study ascertained the impact of ACEs on the condition of 76 people with MUD who meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria, aged 42.17 on average. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), Conners' Continuous Performance-II (CPT-II), the self-report Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were used for these evaluations. Individuals involved in the study were categorized into two discrete cohorts, mild (ME) and severe (SE), based on the extent of their ACEs exposure. This study employed the PROCESS regression, the independent t-test andχ2 tests for the analysis. Results The findings revealed notable discrepancies in the psychological consequences between the two groups with different degrees of ACEs; however, no substantial differences were observed in the demographic parameters. The SE group exhibited elevated BDI-II scores, more evident indications of MUD, and a higher degree of CPT-II cognitive perseveration. The PROCESS model revealed that cognitive perseveration moderated the impact of depression on ACEs and subjective MUD severity, explaining 20.2% of the variance. The ACEs and depression predicted 28.6% of the variance in MUD symptoms. However, no statistically significant differences were detected between the two groups regarding the parameters in the IGT-2 assessment. Conclusions These results indicate that the interaction between cognitive and depressive factors mediates the effect of ACEs on subjective MUD severity but not on MUD symptoms. The ACEs significant impact on mental health severity perception is explained by cognitive and depressive factors. This implies that MUD treatment and rehabilitation should address cognitive dysfunction and developmental trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Hung Ko
- Department of Addiction and Forensic Psychiatry, Jianan Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chin Lu
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Jianan Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hung Lee
- Department of Addiction and Forensic Psychiatry, Jianan Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Addiction Psychiatry, Taoyuan Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chi Liao
- Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Center for Prevention and Treatment of Internet Addiction, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Clinical Psychology Center, Asia University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
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9
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Brandt A, Bondü R, Elsner B. Profiles of executive functions in middle childhood and prediction of later self-regulation. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1379126. [PMID: 38784608 PMCID: PMC11111993 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1379126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Most research on the development of executive functions (EF) has applied variable-oriented approaches, neglecting the potential inter- and intraindividual interplay of these capacities. In a person-oriented approach, the present study identified varying profiles of performance for three cool EF facets: inhibition, working-memory updating, and cognitive flexibility, as well as two hot EF facets: affective decision-making and delay of gratification, in a community sample of 1,657 children (T1; age: 6-11 years, M = 8.36 years, 52.1% female) via latent profile analysis. The best-fitting model allowed for partial dependence across the three cool EF and included four profiles: all-average (69.4% of the children), low-delay (19.0%), regulated-decision-making (7.0%), and low-inhibition (4.6%). Age, binary sex, socio-economic status, multilingualism, and processing speed were identified as significant characteristics of EF profile membership. Longitudinally, a higher probability of belonging to the low-inhibition profile predicted lower rates of the self-regulatory outcome of inhibitory control 1 year later, while belonging to the regulated-decision-making profile predicted lower rates of the ability to plan and organize 3 years later. These results not only demonstrate the existence of subgroups with different concurrent within-person expressions of EF performance, but also identify related characteristics and longitudinal outcomes of subgroup membership. In turn, these conclusions stress the importance of person-oriented research to inform on differing weaknesses or strengths in EF performance for varying individuals, thereby providing valuable insight for educational and clinical research into the design of effective personalized support or interventions during middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariadne Brandt
- Department for Developmental Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Rebecca Bondü
- Department for Developmental, Pedagogic and Family Psychology, Psychologische Hochschule Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Birgit Elsner
- Department for Developmental Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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10
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Huffhines L, Parade SH, Martin SE, Gottipaty A, Kavanaugh B, Spirito A, Boekamp JR. Early childhood trauma exposure and neurocognitive and emotional processes: Associations in young children in a partial hospital program. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-17. [PMID: 38711378 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Early childhood trauma has been linked to neurocognitive and emotional processing deficits in older children, yet much less is known about these associations in young children. Early childhood is an important developmental period in which to examine relations between trauma and executive functioning/emotion reactivity, given that these capacities are rapidly developing and are potential transdiagnostic factors implicated in the development of psychopathology. This cross-sectional study examined associations between cumulative trauma, interpersonal trauma, and components of executive functioning, episodic memory, and emotion reactivity, conceptualized using the RDoC framework and assessed with observational and performance-based measures, in a sample of 90 children (ages 4-7) admitted to a partial hospital program. Children who had experienced two or more categories of trauma had lower scores in episodic memory, global cognition, and inhibitory control as measured in a relational (but not computerized) task, when compared to children with less or no trauma. Interpersonal trauma was similarly associated with global cognition and relational inhibitory control. Family contextual factors did not moderate associations. Findings support examining inhibitory control in both relationally significant and decontextualized paradigms in early childhood, and underscore the importance of investigating multiple neurocognitive and emotional processes simultaneously to identify potential targets for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Huffhines
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
| | - Stephanie H Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
| | - Sarah E Martin
- Department of Psychology, Simmons University, Boston, MA, USA
- Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
| | - Anjali Gottipaty
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
| | - Brian Kavanaugh
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
| | - Anthony Spirito
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - John R Boekamp
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
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11
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Timko CA, Schnabel J, Orloff NC. The importance of improving cognitive flexibility in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: The case for cognitive remediation therapy. Int J Eat Disord 2024; 57:1109-1118. [PMID: 38333943 DOI: 10.1002/eat.24164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Inefficiencies in executive functioning (EF), more specifically cognitive flexibility and an overly detailed processing style, are frequently observed in individuals with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and have been identified as potential targets in treatment. Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) is an adjunctive treatment approach specifically designed to have a positive impact on EF. Mainly evaluated in adults, CRT has been criticized for its perceived ineffectiveness in promoting weight restoration or directly reducing eating disorder symptoms. METHOD We argue that we need to refocus our conceptual framework for using CRT as an adjunctive treatment and specifically explore its potential benefit in adolescents. RESULTS Adolescence is a critical window for EF development during which CRT has the potential to have the most impact. While it may not specifically ameliorate eating disorder symptoms and directly improve weight gain, CRT may mitigate the impact of malnutrition on adolescent brain development, reduce attrition rates in treatment, and improve cognitive flexibility and (indirectly) other maintaining factors, thereby improving global functioning. DISCUSSION More research needs to be done to understand the development of EF in adolescents with AN and how best to employ CRT as an adjunctive treatment to support development and target maintaining factors. The current article broadly reviews findings on executive functioning inefficiencies in adolescents with AN and discusses the purpose and role of CRT in treating AN. Finally, we highlight key critiques of using CRT and pose questions for future research. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE Treatments targeting executive functioning in adolescents with AN are limited. We need to better understand how CRT can benefit adolescents in treatment. Increasing treatment options, including adjunctive treatments, is necessary to reduce the long-term impact of AN.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Alix Timko
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jiana Schnabel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Natalia C Orloff
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Equip Health, Carlsbad, California, USA
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12
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Zang W, Zhu J, Xiao N, Fang M, Li D, Li H, Yan J, Jing H, Wang S. Effects of aerobic exercise on children's executive function and academic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28633. [PMID: 38586404 PMCID: PMC10998207 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the effects of exercise on executive function in children, providing an evidence-based foundation to inform future research in school physical education and health education. Methods We searched ten databases: Cochrane Library, Scopus, OVID, Web of Science, PubMed, EBSCOhost, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, CNKI, WANFANG DATA, VIP, and SinoMed, and eight articles were included. Applying the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Trials (RoB2), funnel plots and Egger regression analysis were integrated with R meta-analysis to screen for publication bias. The quality of the evidence was appraised using the Grading system. Results The included literature contained 2655 participants, with 1308 in the experimental group and 1347 in the control group. The results indicated that the aerobic exercise group considerably improved inhibitory control in children compared to the control group [SMD = 0.29, 95% CI (0.05, 0.54), P = 0.018]; working memory [SMD = 0.25, 95% CI (0.07, 0.42), P = 0.005]; and cognitive flexibility [SMD = 0.36, 95% CI (0.17, 0.54), P < 0.001]. However, the findings indicated that only aerobic exercise interventions extending beyond 50 weeks positively influenced academic performance in children [SMD = 1.19, 95% CI (0.34, 2.04), P = 0.006]. The results of an Egger regression analysis revealed that the p-values for inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and academic performance were more significant than 0.1. The Grade system said that the quality of evidence was all low regarding the level of evidence. Conclusion Aerobic exercise enhanced executive function but only aerobic exercise interventions extending beyond 50 weeks demonstrated a significant effect on the academic performance of children. Due to the low quality of evidence presented in this study, additional high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanli Zang
- Postgraduate School, University of Harbin Sport, Harbin, China
| | - Jinyi Zhu
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Ningkun Xiao
- Department of Psychology, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Mingqing Fang
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Dong Li
- Department of International Culture Education, Cho dang University, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiming Li
- Institution of Physical Education, China University of Mining and Technology, 221116, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jin Yan
- School of Physical Education and Sports, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Hongying Jing
- Department of Sports Science, University of Harbin Sport, Harbin, China
| | - Su Wang
- Department of Sports Science, University of Harbin Sport, Harbin, China
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13
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Chandler-Mather N, Crichton A, Shelton D, Harris K, Donovan C, Dawe S. Carer-reported sleep disturbance and carer- and teacher-rated executive functioning in children with prenatal alcohol exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Child Neuropsychol 2024:1-22. [PMID: 38607688 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2024.2337715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) have high rates of sleep disturbance and marked difficulties with executive functioning (EF). Sleep disturbance has been associated with poorer EF across development in typically developing children. The contribution of insomnia symptoms and nightmares to EF difficulties in children with PAE and FASD is unclear. The current study examined whether caregiver-reported insomnia symptoms and nightmares predicted difficulties with EF in children with PAE who were assessed at FASD diagnostic clinics. Archival data on 116 children with PAE assessed at FASD diagnostic clinics were extracted from databases. Children were assigned to a preschool-age group (3.1 to 5.9 years, n = 40) and a school-age group (5.9 to 10.9 years, n = 76). Insomnia symptoms and nightmares were measured using items extracted from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) while EF was measured using the caregiver and teacher Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) rating forms. Bootstrapped regression models were used examine the effects of insomnia symptoms and nightmares on domains of EF in each group while adjusting for potential confounds. For preschool children, insomnia symptoms were associated with greater daytime tiredness while nightmares were associated with greater difficulties with Emergent Metacognition according to their teachers. For school-age children, insomnia symptoms predicted greater EF difficulties across most domains according to their caregivers but not teachers. Sleep disturbance may compound EF impairments in children with PAE and should be screened for as part of FASD diagnostic assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ali Crichton
- Victorian Fetal Alcohol Service, Monash Children's Hospital, Clayton, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Doug Shelton
- Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Australia
| | - Katrina Harris
- Victorian Fetal Alcohol Service, Monash Children's Hospital, Clayton, Australia
| | - Caroline Donovan
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sharon Dawe
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
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14
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Yeshua M, Berger A. The Development of Cognitive Control in Preschoolers and Kindergarteners: The Case of Post-Error Slowing and Delayed Disinhibition. J Intell 2024; 12:41. [PMID: 38667708 PMCID: PMC11051561 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence12040041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate two specific behavioral manifestations of the executive attention systems in preschoolers and kindergarteners, beyond the unique contribution of intelligence. We tested post-error slowing [RT¯Post-error trial-RT¯Not post-error trial] as a marker of reactive control and delayed disinhibition as a novel marker for proactive control. One hundred and eighty preschool- and kindergarten-aged children, as well as their mothers (final sample: 155 children and 174 mothers), performed an adapted task based on Go/NoGo and Stroop-like paradigms-the emotional day-night task. The children showed reliable post-error slowing and delayed disinhibition (mean size effects of 238.18 ms and 58.31 ms, respectively), while the adult size effects were 40-50% smaller. The post-error slowing effect was present for both sexes in all the tested ages, while the delayed disinhibition effect was present only for girls. Both effects showed large individual differences that became smaller in adulthood. Our findings emphasize the earlier maturation of reactive control compared to proactive control, and the earlier maturation of proactive cognitive control in girls compared to boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maor Yeshua
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel;
| | - Andrea Berger
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel;
- School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
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15
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Mulder JD, Dobbelaar S, Achterberg M. Behavioral and neural responses to social rejection: Individual differences in developmental trajectories across childhood and adolescence. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 66:101365. [PMID: 38493526 PMCID: PMC10958064 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Dealing with social rejection is challenging, especially during childhood when behavioral and neural responses to social rejection are still developing. In the current longitudinal study, we used a Bayesian multilevel growth curve model to describe individual differences in the development of behavioral and neural responses to social rejection in a large sample (n > 500). We found a peak in aggression following negative feedback (compared to neutral feedback) during late childhood, as well as individual differences during this developmental phase, possibly suggesting a sensitive window for dealing with social rejection across late childhood. Moreover, we found evidence for individual differences in the linear development of neural responses to social rejection in our three brain regions of interest: The anterior insula, the medial prefrontal cortex, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In addition to providing insights in the individual trajectories of dealing with social rejection during childhood, this study also makes a meaningful methodological contribution: Our statistical analysis strategy (and can be found in this study's online supplementary materials at https://jeroendmulder.github.io/social-emotion-regulation/) can be used as an example on how to take into account the many complexities of developmental neuroimaging datasets, while still enabling researchers to answer interesting questions about individual-level relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen D Mulder
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Simone Dobbelaar
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Leiden Consortium Individual Development, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, the Netherlands
| | - Michelle Achterberg
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Leiden Consortium Individual Development, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, the Netherlands.
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16
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Nejati V, Dehghan M, Shahidi S, Estaji R, Nitsche MA. Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) improves hot and cold executive functions in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sci Rep 2024; 14:7600. [PMID: 38556535 PMCID: PMC10982302 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57920-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have impaired hot and cold executive functions, which is thought to be related to impaired ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (vmPFC and dlPFC) functions. The present study aimed to assess the impact concurrent stimulation of dlPFC and vmPFC through transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), a non-invasive brain stimulation tool which enhances cortical excitability via application of alternating sinusoidal currents with random frequencies and amplitudes over the respective target regions on hot and cold executive functions. Eighteen children with ADHD received real and sham tRNS over the left dlPFC and the right vmPFC in two sessions with one week interval. The participants performed Circle Tracing, Go/No-Go, Wisconsin Card Sorting, and Balloon Analogue Risk Tasks during stimulation in each session. The results showed improved ongoing inhibition, prepotent inhibition, working memory, and decision making, but not set-shifting performance, during real, as compared to sham stimulation. This indicates that simultaneous stimulation of the dlPFC and the vmPFC improves hot and cold executive functions in children with ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Nejati
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University Tehran, P.O. Box: 1983969411, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mahshid Dehghan
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University Tehran, P.O. Box: 1983969411, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahriar Shahidi
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University Tehran, P.O. Box: 1983969411, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Estaji
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University Tehran, P.O. Box: 1983969411, Tehran, Iran
| | - Michael A Nitsche
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
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17
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Palmer AR, Kalstabakken AW, Distefano R, Carlson SM, Putnam SP, Masten AS. A short executive functioning questionnaire in the context of early childhood screening: psychometric properties. Child Neuropsychol 2024:1-30. [PMID: 38511396 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2024.2329435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Early childhood executive functioning (EF) predicts later adjustment and academic achievement. However, measuring EF consistently and efficiently across settings in early childhood can be challenging. Most researchers use task-based measures of EF, but these methods present practical challenges that impede implementation in some settings. The current study of 380 3-5-year-old children in the United States evaluated the psychometric properties of a new 14-item parent-reported measure of EF in a diverse urban school district. This questionnaire aimed to capture a normative range of EF skills in ecologically valid contexts. There was evidence for two specific subscales - one that measures children's EF challenges and another that measures children's EF skills. Results suggested that several items demonstrated differential item functioning by age and race. After adjusting for measurement differences across demographic groups and controlling for age at screening, the EF challenges subscale was more strongly related to task-based measures of EF than was the EF skills subscale. EF challenges predicted third-grade math achievement, controlling for demographic variables and a performance-based measure of children's early cognitive and academic skills. Results suggest that this parent report of EF could be a useful and effective early childhood screening tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa R Palmer
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Amanda W Kalstabakken
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Rebecca Distefano
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI, USA
| | - Stephanie M Carlson
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | - Ann S Masten
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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18
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Laifer LM, Brock RL, Tomaso CC, James TD, Yaroch AL, Hill JL, Huang TT, Nelson JM, Mason WA, Espy KA, Nelson TD. Exploring the Interaction Between Preschool Executive Control and Caregiver Emotion Socialization in Predicting Adolescent Weight Trajectories. J Youth Adolesc 2024; 53:656-668. [PMID: 38117361 PMCID: PMC10872396 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01928-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
There is a critical need for research examining how neural vulnerabilities associated with obesity, including lower executive control, interact with family factors to impact weight trajectories across adolescence. Utilizing a longitudinal design, the present study investigated caregivers' emotion socialization practices as a moderator of the association between preschool executive control and adolescent body mass index (BMI) trajectories. Participants were 229 youth (Mage = 5.24, SD = 0.03; 47.2% assigned female at birth; 73.8% White, 3.9% Black, 0.4% Asian American, 21.8% multiracial; 12.7% Hispanic) enrolled in a longitudinal study. At preschool-age, participants completed performance-based executive control tasks, and their caregivers reported on their typical emotion-related socialization behaviors (i.e., supportive and nonsupportive responses to children's negative emotions). Participants returned for annual laboratory visits at ages 14 through 17, during which their height and weight were measured to calculate BMI. Although neither preschool executive control nor caregiver emotion-related socialization behaviors were directly associated with BMI growth in adolescence, supportive responses moderated the association between executive control and BMI trajectories. The expected negative association between lower preschool executive control and greater BMI growth was present at below average levels of supportive responses, suggesting that external regulation afforded by supportive responses might reduce risk for adolescent overweight and obesity among children with lower internal self-regulatory resources during preschool. Findings highlight the importance of efforts to bolster executive control early in development and targeted interventions to promote effective caregiver emotion socialization (i.e., more supportive responses) for youth with lower internal self-regulatory abilities to mitigate risk for overweight and obesity and promote health across childhood and adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Laifer
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA.
| | - Rebecca L Brock
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Cara C Tomaso
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tiffany D James
- Office of Research and Economic Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Amy L Yaroch
- Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Jennie L Hill
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Terry T Huang
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer Mize Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
- Office of Research and Economic Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - W Alex Mason
- Department of Child, Youth, & Family Studies, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Kimberly Andrews Espy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Timothy D Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
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19
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Bombonato C, Del Lucchese B, Ruffini C, Di Lieto MC, Brovedani P, Sgandurra G, Cioni G, Pecini C. Far Transfer Effects of Trainings on Executive Functions in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review and Metanalysis. Neuropsychol Rev 2024; 34:98-133. [PMID: 36633797 PMCID: PMC10920464 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-022-09574-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Executive Functions are a set of interrelated, top-down processes essential for adaptive goal-directed behaviour, frequently impaired across different neurodevelopmental disorders with variable degrees of severity. Many executive-function-training studies in children with neurodevelopmental disorders have focused on near effects, investigating post-treatment improvements on directly trained processes, while enhancements of skills not directly trained, defined as far effects, are less considered, albeit these could be extremely relevant for reducing the negative impact of a disorder's core symptomatology. This systematic review and metanalysis aims to investigate the far effect outcomes after EF training in children with different types of neurodevelopmental disorders. 17 studies met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review, while 15 studies were selected in the metanalysis. An overall statistically significant effect size was found in the majority of far effect outcome measures considered in the studies. In particular, trainings on executive functions determine significant far effects on daily life functioning (0.46, 95% CI: [0.05-0.87]) and clinical symptoms (0.33, 95% CI: [0.15-0.51]). Despite a high variability of the results, intensity, frequency and the laboratory/life contexts dimension seem to be the most influential variables in determining far effects. This systematic review and metanalysis highlights the need to measure far effects of executive function training in neurodevelopmental disorders, selecting treatments not only on directly targeted processes, but also according to far impacts on the functional weakness of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Bombonato
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
- Tuscan Programme of Neuroscience, University of Florence, Pisa and Siena, Italy
| | - Benedetta Del Lucchese
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
- Tuscan Programme of Neuroscience, University of Florence, Pisa and Siena, Italy
| | - Costanza Ruffini
- Department of Education, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology (FORLIPSI), University of Florence, Languages, Florence, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Di Lieto
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Brovedani
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Sgandurra
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy.
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Pecini
- Department of Education, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology (FORLIPSI), University of Florence, Languages, Florence, Italy
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20
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Wang S, Yang A, Wei X, Qian R, Chen Y, Bi W, Hu B, Wen C. Influence of rhythmic-movement activity intervention on hot executive function of 5- to 6-year-old children. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1291353. [PMID: 38495417 PMCID: PMC10941801 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1291353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Hot Executive Function (hot EF) refers to cognitive process involved in high emotion or motivation, and the operation of this function is related to the activities of the ventromedial prefrontal lobe and orbitofrontal lobe. Meanwhile, rhythmic-movement activity is a musical activity in which one expresses and feels music with one's own body movements which involves cognitive abilities such as adjusting and understanding emotions among children. To explore how rhythmic-movement activity with rewards influences the development of hot EF in children of 5-6 years old, the organization principles of rhythmic-movement activity with rewards intervention on hot EF were designed, and 62 children of 5-6 years old in a kindergarten in Yantai of China were selected as research participants (M = 5.80 years old, SD = 0.37 years old) for pre-test and post-test experimental design. The experimental group received rhythmic-movement activity with rewards three times a week for 6 weeks, while the control group did not. The gift delay task and the children's gambling task were used to measure two sub-components of hot EF before and after the intervention, and the results show that rhythmic-movement activity with rewards has a significant effect on gratification delay and affective decision-making ability of children. Finally, the effects and enlightenment of rhythmic-movement activity with rewards on hot EF are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suxia Wang
- College of Elementary Education, Ludong University, Yantai, China
- Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
- Zhejiang Beima Education and Technology Co., LTD. Enterprise Postdoctoral Workstation, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Anning Yang
- College of Elementary Education, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Xuefeng Wei
- College of Elementary Education, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Ruohan Qian
- College of Elementary Education, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Ying Chen
- College of Elementary Education, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - WenJing Bi
- College of Elementary Education, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Bisheng Hu
- Zhejiang Beima Education and Technology Co., LTD., Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Cheng Wen
- College of Elementary Education, Ludong University, Yantai, China
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21
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Wang Y, Ji H. Hot and cool executive function in the development of behavioral problems in grade school. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38415404 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Despite the well-established link between children's executive function and behavioral adjustment, it remains unclear whether the hot and cool aspects of executive function are uniquely associated with children's behavioral problems. Using longitudinal data spanning in the grade school (N = 1,140), this study aimed to examine whether hot and cool executive function skills may be uniquely related to the development of behavioral problems. Hot and cool executive function skills were measured with tasks, standardized tests, and questionnaires at 54 months and in the first grade, respectively. Internalizing and externalizing problems were evaluated by teachers using questionnaires throughout the grade school. The results indicated that, independent of each other, hot and cool executive function skills were uniquely and negatively related to the development of internalizing and externalizing problems over time at the between-individual level, adjusting for within-individual fluctuations. Moreover, internalizing and externalizing problems were positively related at the between-individual level across the grade school. Findings provide needed evidence to clarify the relations between hot and cool executive function and children's behavioral problems, emphasizing the importance of both aspects of executive function in understanding the development of behavioral problems in school-age children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiji Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science at New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Huayu Ji
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science at New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
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22
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Han J, Zhuang K, Chen X, Xiao M, Liu Y, Song S, Gao X, Chen H. Connectivity-based neuromarker for children's inhibitory control ability and its relevance to body mass index. Child Neuropsychol 2024:1-18. [PMID: 38375872 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2024.2314956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Preserving a normal body mass index (BMI) is crucial for the healthy growth and development of children. As a core aspect of executive functions, inhibitory control plays a pivotal role in maintaining a normal BMI, which is key to preventing issues of childhood obesity. By studying individual variations in inhibitory control performance and its associated connectivity-based neuromarker in a sample of primary school students (N = 64; 9-12 yr), we aimed to unravel the pathway through which inhibitory control impacts children's BMI. Utilizing resting-state functional MRI scans and a connectivity-based psychometric prediction framework, we found that enhanced inhibitory control abilities were primarily associated with increased functional connectivity in brain structures vital to executive functions, such as the superior frontal lobule, superior parietal lobule, and posterior cingulate cortex. Conversely, inhibitory control abilities displayed a negative relationship with functional connectivity originating from reward-related brain structures, such as the orbital frontal and ventral medial prefrontal lobes. Furthermore, we revealed that both inhibitory control and its corresponding neuromarker can moderate the association between food-related delayed gratification and BMI in children. However, only the neuromarker of inhibitory control maintained its moderating effect on children's future BMI, as determined in the follow-up after one year. Overall, our findings shed light on the potential mechanisms of how inhibitory control in children impacts BMI, highlighting the utility of the connectivity-based neuromarker of inhibitory control in the context of childhood obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Han
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhuang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ximei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mingyue Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shiqing Song
- Faculty of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiao Gao
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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23
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Wu T, Weiland C, McCormick M, Hsueh J, Snow C, Sachs J. One Score to Rule Them All? Comparing the Predictive and Concurrent Validity of 30 Hearts and Flowers Scoring Approaches. Assessment 2024:10731911241229566. [PMID: 38361250 DOI: 10.1177/10731911241229566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The Hearts and Flowers (H&F) task is a computerized executive functioning (EF) assessment that has been used to measure EF from early childhood to adulthood. It provides data on accuracy and reaction time (RT) across three different task blocks (hearts, flowers, and mixed). However, there is a lack of consensus in the field on how to score the task that makes it difficult to interpret findings across studies. The current study, which includes a demographically diverse population of kindergarteners from Boston Public Schools (N = 946), compares the predictive and concurrent validity of 30 ways of scoring H&F, each with a different combination of accuracy, RT, and task block(s). Our exploratory results provide evidence supporting the use of a two-vector average score based on Zelazo et al.'s approach of adding accuracy and RT scores together only after individuals pass a certain accuracy threshold. Findings have implications for scoring future tablet-based developmental assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Catherine Snow
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA
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24
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Andersen AC, Sund AM, Thomsen PH, Lydersen S, Haugan ALJ, Nøvik TS. [Formula: see text] Executive function measured by BRIEF in adolescents diagnosed and treated for ADHD: problem profiles and agreement between informants. Child Neuropsychol 2024; 30:45-59. [PMID: 36718111 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2023.2174506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Executive functional deficits (EFDs) play an important role in functional impairment in adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). More knowledge of executive function (EF) profiles and informant discrepancies will guide clinicians and provide tailored treatment advice. The objectives of this study were to use teacher, parent, and self-reported EF ratings to describe (a) problem profiles and (b) the correlation and agreement between informants. This study included 100 adolescents aged 14-18 years with ADHD still experiencing clinically impairing symptoms despite standard treatment including medication. EFs were measured using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Agreement between informants was quantified using Pearson correlation and informant discrepancies were analyzed using paired samples t-test. Overall, the results indicated considerable EFDs in the study population. Correlation and agreement varied between the informants. Agreement was highest between adolescents and their parents, especially for female participants, and lowest between male participants and their teachers. Teachers reported the highest level of EFDs, whereas adolescents generally self-reported EFDs at a lower level than both parents and teachers. Identifying and tailoring treatment for EFDs might improve future prognosis for adolescents with ADHD, however, self-awareness of these difficulties is a challenge that needs to be considered when planning interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Christin Andersen
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anne Mari Sund
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Per Hove Thomsen
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark
| | - Stian Lydersen
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anne-Lise Juul Haugan
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Torunn Stene Nøvik
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
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Hill PJ, Mcnarry MA, Mackintosh KA, Murray MA, Pesce C, Valentini NC, Getchell N, Tomporowski PD, Robinson LE, Barnett LM. The Influence of Motor Competence on Broader Aspects of Health: A Systematic Review of the Longitudinal Associations Between Motor Competence and Cognitive and Social-Emotional Outcomes. Sports Med 2024; 54:375-427. [PMID: 37989831 PMCID: PMC10933160 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-023-01939-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motor competence has important developmental associations with aspects of physical health, but there has been no synthesis of longitudinal associations with cognitive and social-emotional health. OBJECTIVES The first aim was to present a conceptual model that positions motor competence as a mediator between physical activity and cognitive and social-emotional outcomes. The second aim was to synthesize the association of motor competence and cognitive and social-emotional development using longitudinal observational and experimental evidence, in particular to (i) identify the role of task, individual, and environmental characteristics in moderating the association between motor and cognitive and social-emotional outcomes and (ii) synthesize the strength of evidence pertaining to domain-specific relationships. METHODS This systematic review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Five electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus) were systematically searched. Following study screening and risk-of-bias assessment by two authors, 49 eligible studies were identified for inclusion and grouped by study design. Evidence for domain-specific paths between motor competence and cognitive and social-emotional outcomes was synthesized by calculating the significant analyses in the hypothesized direction, divided by the total number of analyses for that path. These percentages were then collated for each domain outcome. This collated influence was classified as either no association (0-33%), written as '0', or indeterminate/inconsistent (34-59%), written as '?' If there were fewer than three studies in the domain, the strength of evidence was classified as insufficient (I). RESULTS Of the 49 studies, 35% were able to satisfy six or more of the seven risk-of-bias criteria. Longitudinal observational evidence about domain-specific and global associations of motor competence and cognitive and social-emotional development is indeterminate. The included studies also did not provide evidence for a consistent moderating role of age and sex. Some preliminary experimental evidence does support the role of motor competence in moderating the influence of cognitively enriched physical activity on cognitive outcomes, especially working memory and social-emotional skills. However, too few studies were appropriately designed to acknowledge the moderating role of contextual mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS Between-study heterogeneity means it was not possible to identify definitive domain- and construct-specific relationships between motor competence and cognitive and social-emotional outcomes. To further develop our understanding, it is important that researchers acknowledge the complexity of these relationships within rigorous study designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip J Hill
- Applied Sports, Technology, Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea, SA1 8EN, Wales, UK
| | - Melitta A Mcnarry
- Applied Sports, Technology, Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea, SA1 8EN, Wales, UK
| | - Kelly A Mackintosh
- Applied Sports, Technology, Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea, SA1 8EN, Wales, UK.
| | - Maeve Aine Murray
- School of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin, D09 F8Y6, Ireland
| | - Caterina Pesce
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | | | - Nancy Getchell
- Developmental Motor Control Laboratory, 157 Human Performance Lab, University of Delaware, 540 S College Ave, Newark, 19713, DE, UK
| | | | - Leah E Robinson
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, SKB 1054; 830 North University, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1048, USA
| | - Lisa M Barnett
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Faculty of Health, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Building BC, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Melbourne, 3125, Australia
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Chavez Arana C, van IJzendoorn MH, Serrano-Juarez CA, de Pauw SSW, Prinzie P. [Formula: see text] Interventions to improve executive functions in children and adolescents with acquired brain injury: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis. Child Neuropsychol 2024; 30:164-187. [PMID: 36718104 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2023.2172150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the effectiveness of interventions aiming to improve hot and cold executive functions (EFs) in children and adolescents with acquired brain injury (ABI) and to examine whether characteristics of the intervention, participants, etiology of ABI (Traumatic-brain-injury [TBI] or non-TBI), time of assessment, or study quality moderate intervention effects. Whereas cold EFs refer to purely cognitive EFs, hot EFs refer to the affective aspects of these cognitive skills. A total of 970 participants from 23 randomized-controlled-trial studies (112 effect sizes [ES]) were included. A three-level random effects approach (studies, ES, individual participants) was used. Moderation analyses were conducted through meta-regressions. The three-level random effects model showed a better fit than the two-level model. Almost all individual studies showed non-significant ES across outcomes but in combination interventions were effective (Cohen's d = 0.38, CI 0.16 ~ 0.61). Lower methodological quality, inclusion of participants with non-TBI, and parental participation predicted larger ES. Participants' age, time of assessment, number of sessions, and focus on hot or cold EFs were not related to ES. We found no evidence of publication bias. Interventions are effective with small to medium ES according to conventional criteria. Intervention effects do not seem to fade away with time. Parent participation in the intervention is important to improve EFs. The efficacy of interventions seems larger when non-TBI is part of the etiology of ABI. Variation between studies is relevant for tracing the effective intervention characteristics. Most studies are conducted in adolescence, and studies in early childhood are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Chavez Arana
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Research Department of Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL, University of London, London, UK
| | - Carlos A Serrano-Juarez
- Laboratorio de Neurometría, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, State of Mexico, Mexico
| | - Sarah S W de Pauw
- Department of Special Needs Education, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Prinzie
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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27
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Zhou Y, Tolmie A. Associations between Gross and Fine Motor Skills, Physical Activity, Executive Function, and Academic Achievement: Longitudinal Findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Brain Sci 2024; 14:121. [PMID: 38391696 PMCID: PMC10887312 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14020121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence from behavioral studies and neuroscience suggests that motor and cognitive development are intrinsically intertwined. To explore the underlying mechanisms of this motor-cognition link, our study examined the longitudinal relationship of early motor skills and physical activity with later cognitive skills. The sample was 3188 children from the United Kingdom Millennium Cohort Study, followed at 9 months and 5, 7, and 11 years. Early motor skills were examined at 9 months. Children's daily physical activity level was measured using accelerometers at 7 years and a questionnaire was conducted at 11 years. Cognitive skills, including executive function and academic achievement, were measured at age 11. The results suggest that gross motor skills were positively associated with spatial working memory, whereas fine motor skills were predictive of good English and science outcomes. Moderate-to-vigorous activity was found to be negatively associated with English performance, although self-reported activity frequency was positively linked to math. Our results highlight the significant role of both gross and fine motor skills in cognitive development. This study also elucidates the limitations of using activity intensity to assess the impact of motor activity on children's cognitive development, suggesting that attention to the effects of specific types of physical activity would better elucidate the motor/cognition link.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Zhou
- Motor-Executive Control Interaction Lab, Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Andrew Tolmie
- Motor-Executive Control Interaction Lab, Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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28
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Souza JB, Trevisan BT, Nunes LG, Machado WL, Seabra AG. A Naturalistic Intervention to Promote Executive Functions in Primary School Children: A Pilot Study. Brain Sci 2024; 14:70. [PMID: 38248285 PMCID: PMC10813490 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Executive functions are related to the control of cognition, emotion, and behavior. They are essential to lifelong outcomes, including school performance. Naturalistic interventions embedded in children's daily activities and environments have greater effects. Therefore, this pilot study aimed to develop a naturalistic program suitable for schools, based on Goal Management Training (GMT), and to analyze its effects on executive functions and behavior. The participants consisted of 35 students from 2nd to 5th grade with executive dysfunction complaints. They underwent neuropsychological assessments of working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and intellectual capacity. Teachers and parents answered questionnaires on executive functions and behavior. Students were randomly assigned to an active control group, who participated in sessions on citizenship, and an experimental group (EG), stimulated through the executive function program, both with 16 sessions conducted by psychologists. After the intervention, all participants were reevaluated. The two-way Wald-type statistic (WTS) revealed greater improvement in executive functions for the EG, including working memory and inhibition. Additionally, parents and teachers, blind to the experimental conditions, reported improvements in some measures of executive functions and behavior. The results are encouraging, but further studies should test the intervention when implemented with larger samples and by teachers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonatas B. Souza
- Post-Graduation Program in Human Development Sciences, CCBS—Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua da Consolação, nº 930, São Paulo 01302-907, SP, Brazil; (B.T.T.); (L.G.N.); (A.G.S.)
| | - Bruna T. Trevisan
- Post-Graduation Program in Human Development Sciences, CCBS—Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua da Consolação, nº 930, São Paulo 01302-907, SP, Brazil; (B.T.T.); (L.G.N.); (A.G.S.)
| | - Liana G. Nunes
- Post-Graduation Program in Human Development Sciences, CCBS—Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua da Consolação, nº 930, São Paulo 01302-907, SP, Brazil; (B.T.T.); (L.G.N.); (A.G.S.)
| | - Wagner L. Machado
- Graduate Program in Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS Av. Ipiranga, 6681—Building 11—9th Floor—Room 930—Parthenon, Porto Alegre 90619-900, RS, Brazil;
| | - Alessandra G. Seabra
- Post-Graduation Program in Human Development Sciences, CCBS—Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua da Consolação, nº 930, São Paulo 01302-907, SP, Brazil; (B.T.T.); (L.G.N.); (A.G.S.)
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29
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Anning KL, Langley K, Hobson C, van Goozen SHM. Cool and hot executive function problems in young children: linking self-regulation processes to emerging clinical symptoms. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024:10.1007/s00787-023-02344-z. [PMID: 38183461 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02344-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Self-regulation (SR) difficulties are implicated in a wide range of disorders which develop in childhood, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiance disorder (ODD), anxiety and depression. However, the integration of the existing research evidence is challenging because of varying terminology and the wide range of tasks used, as well as the heterogeneity and comorbidity within and across diagnostic categories. The current study used the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework to guide the examination of different SR processes in young children showing a wide range of symptomatology. Children (aged 4-8) referred by teachers for moderate-to-high conduct, hyperactivity and/or emotional problems at school (assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) subscales; n = 212), and children in SDQ typical ranges (n = 30) completed computerised cognitive control and decision-making tasks. Parents completed questionnaires to assess ADHD, ODD, anxiety and depression symptoms (n = 191). Compared to children with no teacher-reported difficulties, those with moderate-to-high problems showed poorer visuomotor control and decision-making. A factor analysis revealed that task variables adhered to RDoC dimensions and predicted variance in specific disorders: difficulties in cognitive control predicted ADHD symptoms, low reward-seeking was associated with depression and high reward-seeking was associated with ODD. This study highlights how the assessment of cognitive processes positioned within the RDoC framework can inform our understanding of disorder-specific and transdiagnostic difficulties in SR which are associated with diverse clinical symptoms in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate L Anning
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Kate Langley
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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30
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Wang S, Gai X. Bidirectional Relationship between Positive Parenting Behavior and Children's Self-Regulation: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:38. [PMID: 38247690 PMCID: PMC10813346 DOI: 10.3390/bs14010038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we used a cross-lagged design to explore the relationship between children's self-regulation and positive parenting behaviors. Children aged 3 years (N = 84) were tested individually three times a year for their hot and cool self-regulation, while their parents' positive parenting behaviors (warmth, structure, and autonomy support) were collected through questionnaires. In the structural equation panel model, bidirectional relations between children's inhibitory control and parental positive parenting were found. Children's inhibitory control and positive parenting predicted changes in each other for the first six months. Such a reciprocal relationship also existed between parental autonomy support and children's inhibitory control. There was a cross-lagged effect between parental warmth and children' inhibitory control rather than a simultaneous relation. Children's inhibitory control positively predicted parental structural behaviors rather than vice versa. Children's delayed waiting and positive parenting (autonomy support) were only positively correlated, rather than having a lagging effect. All the relationships faded over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Wang
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China;
| | - Xiaosong Gai
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China;
- Research Center of Mental Health Education in Northeast Normal University, Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Science in Universities in Jilin Province, Changchun 130024, China
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31
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Brandt AE, Rø TB, Finnanger TG, Hypher RE, Lien E, Lund B, Catroppa C, Andersson S, Risnes K, Stubberud J. Intelligence and executive function are associated with age at insult, time post-insult, and disability following chronic pediatric acquired brain injury. Front Neurol 2024; 14:1192623. [PMID: 38249741 PMCID: PMC10796693 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1192623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Pediatric acquired brain injury (pABI) profoundly affects cognitive functions, encompassing IQ and executive functions (EFs). Particularly, young age at insult may lead to persistent and debilitating deficits, affecting daily-life functioning negatively. This study delves into the intricate interplay of age at insult, time post-insult, and their associations with IQ and EFs during chronic (>1 year) pABI. Additionally, we investigate cognitive performance across different levels of global function, recognizing the multifaceted nature of developmental factors influencing outcomes. Methods Drawing upon insult data and baseline information analyzing secondary outcomes from a multicenter RCT, including comprehensive medical and neuropsychological assessments of participants aged 10 to 17 years with pABI and parent-reported executive dysfunctions. The study examined associations between age at insult (early, EI; ≤7y vs. late, LI; > 7y) and time post-insult with IQ and EFs (updating, shifting, inhibition, and executive attention). Additionally, utilizing the Pediatric Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended, we explored cognitive performance across levels of global functioning. Results Seventy-six participants, median 8 years at insult and 5 years post-insult, predominantly exhibiting moderate disability (n = 38), were included. Notably, participants with LI demonstrated superior IQ, executive attention, and shifting compared to EI, [adjusted mean differences with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs); 7.9 (1.4, 14.4), 2.48 (0.71, 4.24) and 1.73 (0.03, 3.43), respectively]. Conversely, extended post-insult duration was associated with diminished performances, evident in mean differences with 95% CIs for IQ, updating, shifting, and executive attention compared to 1-2 years post-insult [-11.1 (-20.4, -1.7), -8.4 (-16.7, -0.1), -2.6 (-4.4, -0.7), -2.9 (-4.5, -1.2), -3.8 (-6.4, -1.3), -2.6 (-5.0, -0.3), and -3.2 (-5.7, -0.8)]. Global function exhibited a robust relationship with IQ and EFs. Conclusion Early insults and prolonged post-insult durations impose lasting tribulations in chronic pABI. While confirmation through larger studies is needed, these findings carry clinical implications, underscoring the importance of vigilance regarding early insults. Moreover, they dispel the notion that children fully recover from pABI; instead, they advocate equitable rehabilitation offerings for pABI, tailored to address cognitive functions, recognizing their pivotal role in achieving independence and participation in society. Incorporating disability screening in long-term follow-up assessments may prove beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Elisabeth Brandt
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Children’s Clinic, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Torstein B. Rø
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Children’s Clinic, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Torun G. Finnanger
- Children’s Clinic, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ruth E. Hypher
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences for Children, Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Espen Lien
- Children’s Clinic, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bendik Lund
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Children’s Clinic, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Cathy Catroppa
- Brain and Mind, Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Psychology, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Kari Risnes
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Children’s Clinic, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jan Stubberud
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences for Children, Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Research, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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32
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Haapala EA, Lubans DR, Jaakkola T, Barker AR, Plaza-Florido A, Gracia-Marco L, Solis-Urra P, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Esteban-Cornejo I, Ortega FB. Which indices of cardiorespiratory fitness are more strongly associated with brain health in children with overweight/obesity? Scand J Med Sci Sports 2024; 34:e14549. [PMID: 38093459 DOI: 10.1111/sms.14549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To compare the strength of associations between different indices of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and brain health outcomes in children with overweight/obesity. METHODS Participants were 100 children aged 8-11 years. CRF was assessed using treadmill exercise test (peak oxygen uptake [V̇O2peak ], treadmill time, and V̇O2 at ventilatory threshold) and 20-metre shuttle run test (20mSRT, laps, running speed, estimated V̇O2peak using the equations by Léger et al., Mahar et al., and Matsuzaka et al.). Intelligence, executive functions, and academic performance were assessed using validated methods. Total gray matter and hippocampal volumes were assessed using structural MRI. RESULTS V̇O2peak /body mass (β = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.01-0.35) and treadmill time (β = 0.18-0.21, 95% CI = 0.01-0.39) were positively associated with gray matter volume. 20mSRT laps were positively associated with executive functions (β = 0.255, 95% CI = 0.089-0.421) and academic performance (β = 0.199-0.255, 95% CI = 0.006-0.421), and the running speed was positively associated with executive functions (β = 0.203, 95% CI = 0.039-0.367). Estimated V̇O2peak/Léger et al. was positively associated with intelligence, executive functions, academic performance, and gray matter volume (β = 0.205-0.282, 95% CI = 0.013-0.500). Estimated V̇O2peak/Mahar et al. and V̇O2peak/Matsuzaka et al. (speed) were positively associated with executive functions (β = 0.204-0.256, 95% CI = 0.031-0.436). CONCLUSION Although V̇O2peak is considered the gold standard indicator of CRF in children, peak performance (laps or running speed) and estimated V̇O2peak/Léger et al. derived from 20mSRT had stronger and more consistent associations with brain health outcomes than other indices of CRF in children with overweight/obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eero A Haapala
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - David R Lubans
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Centre for Active Living and Learning, School of Education, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Active Living Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia
| | - Timo Jaakkola
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Alan R Barker
- Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre, Public Health and Sports Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Abel Plaza-Florido
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Pediatric Exercise and Genomics Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Luis Gracia-Marco
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Granada, Spain
| | - Patricio Solis-Urra
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Nuclear Medicine Services, "Virgen de Las Nieves", University Hospital, Granada, Spain
- Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Granada, Spain
| | - Irene Esteban-Cornejo
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco B Ortega
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Granada, Spain
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Song Y, Nie Z, Shan J. Comprehension of irony in autistic children: The role of theory of mind and executive function. Autism Res 2024; 17:109-124. [PMID: 37950634 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Although previous studies have examined irony comprehension in autistic children and potential impact factors, the relationship between theory of mind (ToM), executive function (EF), symptoms of autism, and comprehension of irony in this population remains largely unknown. This study explored irony comprehension in autistic children and examined the roles of ToM and EF in linking autism symptoms to deficits in irony comprehension. Twenty autistic children were compared with 25 typically developing (TD) children in an irony story picture task, ToM task, and EF task. The results showed that autistic children had impaired comprehension of irony compared with TD children, and performance on ironic stories showed a significant moderate discriminatory effect in predicting autistic children. A ToM deficit has also been proposed for autistic children. Comprehension of irony was significantly correlated with second-order ToM (2nd ToM) but was not significantly correlated with any components of EF. Moreover, 2nd ToM can predict the level of irony comprehension and mediate the relationship between symptoms of autism and irony comprehension. Taken together, these findings suggest that irony comprehension may offer a potential cognitive marker for quantifying syndrome manifestations in autistic children, and 2nd ToM may provide insight into the theoretical mechanism underlying the deficit in irony comprehension in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongning Song
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics Ministry of Education, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziyun Nie
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics Ministry of Education, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiatong Shan
- Department of Arts and Science, NYU Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
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Ibabe I, Albertos A, Lopez-del Burgo C. Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:279-289. [PMID: 36790555 PMCID: PMC9930022 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02152-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
The problematic use of technology of children and adolescents is becoming a growing problem. Research has shown that excessive technology use predicts a variety of psychological and physical health problems. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of leisure time activities (structured and unstructured) in adolescents as a predictor of problematic technology use. Participants were 7723 adolescents, of which 55% were girls, from four Spanish-speaking countries (Chile, Spain, Mexico, and Peru) between the ages of 13 and 18 years. The evaluation instrument applied was the YOURLIFE project self-report questionnaire. Two executive functions were measured: goal setting and inhibitory control. Using structural equation modeling, findings indicated that structured leisure time activities predicted less PTU, whereas unstructured activities predicted more PTU, MLχ2 (69, N = 7723) = 806.60; CFI = 0.929, RMSEA = 0.042, and the model had good predictive capacity for PTU (R2 = 0.46). Structured and unstructured activities also showed indirect effects on PTU through executive functions. As adolescents spent more time in unstructured leisure activities, poorer goal setting, inhibitory control skills, and more PTU were found. The opposite was true for structured leisure time activities. Implications of structured leisure activities to develop executive functioning and to prevent PTU for adolescents are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izaskun Ibabe
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and Research Methodology, University College of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Avda. Tolosa 70, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
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Bausela-Herreras E, Alonso-Esteban Y, Alcantud-Marín F. Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function in Preschool (BRIEF-P) and Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Floor and Ceiling Effects. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 11:58. [PMID: 38255370 PMCID: PMC10814211 DOI: 10.3390/children11010058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is accompanied by executive challenges. OBJECTIVES To obtain evidence of the usefulness of the BRIEF-P and to analyze the possible ceiling and floor effect of its scores in the assessment of executive function in preschoolers with signs compatible with a possible diagnosis of ADHD. METHOD A search was performed in Science Direct, NCBI (PubMed), and ProQuest Education Journals during the period 2012-2022. We included studies that evaluated samples of individuals with symptomatology compatible with ADHD, with an age range between 2 and 6 years, published in English or Spanish. Of a total of 2538 articles, only seven met the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the QUADAS-2 questionnaire. The main variables were age and executive functioning. CONCLUSIONS Executive deficits in early-age individuals with symptoms compatible with ADHD are more extensive than just deficits in working memory. A floor effect has been found in tests associated with hot executive functions and a ceiling effect in cold executive functions. This makes it necessary to use different tests to assess executive performance in preschoolers with ADHD-compatible symptomatology and to design intervention proposals accordingly. The BRIEF-P is an instrument that facilitates obtaining a sensitive and discriminative executive profile, although it should be used in combination with other neuropsychological performance tests.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Francisco Alcantud-Marín
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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Bagdasarov A, Roberts K, Brunet D, Michel CM, Gaffrey MS. Exploring the Association Between EEG Microstates During Resting-State and Error-Related Activity in Young Children. Brain Topogr 2023:10.1007/s10548-023-01030-2. [PMID: 38141125 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-023-01030-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection in the electroencephalography (EEG) waveform at frontal-central scalp sites that occurs after error commission. The relationship between the ERN and broader patterns of brain activity measured across the entire scalp that support error processing during early childhood is unclear. We examined the relationship between the ERN and EEG microstates - whole-brain patterns of dynamically evolving scalp potential topographies that reflect periods of synchronized neural activity - during both a go/no-go task and resting-state in 90, 4-8-year-old children. The mean amplitude of the ERN was quantified during the -64 to 108 millisecond (ms) period of time relative to error commission, which was determined by data-driven microstate segmentation of error-related activity. We found that greater magnitude of the ERN associated with greater global explained variance (GEV; i.e., the percentage of total variance in the data explained by a given microstate) of an error-related microstate observed during the same -64 to 108 ms period (i.e., error-related microstate 3), and to greater anxiety risk as measured by parent-reported behavioral inhibition. During resting-state, six data-driven microstates were identified. Both greater magnitude of the ERN and greater GEV values of error-related microstate 3 associated with greater GEV values of resting-state microstate 4, which showed a frontal-central scalp topography. Source localization results revealed overlap between the underlying neural generators of error-related microstate 3 and resting-state microstate 4 and canonical brain networks (e.g., ventral attention) known to support the higher-order cognitive processes involved in error processing. Taken together, our results clarify how individual differences in error-related and intrinsic brain activity are related and enhance our understanding of developing brain network function and organization supporting error processing during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armen Bagdasarov
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Reuben-Cooke Building, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
| | - Kenneth Roberts
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, 308 Research Drive, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Denis Brunet
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Campus Biotech, 9 Chemin des Mines, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
- Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM) Lausanne, EPFL AVP CP CIBM Station 6, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Christoph M Michel
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Campus Biotech, 9 Chemin des Mines, Geneva, 1202, Switzerland
- Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM) Lausanne, EPFL AVP CP CIBM Station 6, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Michael S Gaffrey
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Reuben-Cooke Building, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Children's Wisconsin, 9000 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Division of Pediatric Psychology and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
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Fathi Azar E, Mirzaie H, Jamshidian E, Hojati E. Effectiveness of perceptual-motor exercises and physical activity on the cognitive, motor, and academic skills of children with learning disorders: A systematic review. Child Care Health Dev 2023; 49:1006-1018. [PMID: 36872844 DOI: 10.1111/cch.13111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with specific learning disorders (SLD) may have issues in cognitive, motor, and academic skills, affecting their mental health and level of participation in academic and nonacademic activities at school and in everyday life. Research shows that perceptual-motor (PM) exercises and physical activities can improve the cognitive and motor skills of typically developing children. To use PM exercises as an intervention in clinical practice for children with learning disorders, or to use it in future research, it seems necessary to discuss and summarize the existing documents in this group of children. OBJECTIVES We aimed to appraise the extent, and the quality of studies about PM interventions for enhancing cognitive, motor, and academic skills in children with learning disorders. METHODS The search was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles published between January 2000 and June 2022 were searched in the following scientific databases: PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane library, Science direct, and Google Scholar. The study eligibility criteria were previously established according to the PICOS model. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies, and the Cochrane Collaboration tool (ROB2) was used to assess the risk of bias. RESULTS The initial search yielded 2160 studies among which 10 studies were systematically reviewed. The total number of participants was 483 children (intervention: 251; control: 232). Findings showed significant improvements in cognitive skills (n = 7/8) such as working memory, attention, and information processing speed. In addition, studies showed that PM and physical activity interventions could increase academic performance (n = 4/5) and motor skills (n = 5/5) in children with LD. Results regarding the mental health effects of PM exercises (n = 1/3) are few in number and contradicting. DISCUSSION PM exercises may positively affect cognitive, motor, and academic skills in children with SLD; However, due to the small number of studies, fair methodological quality, and high risk of bias, caution should be taken when interpreting the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elahe Fathi Azar
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hooshang Mirzaie
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ehsan Jamshidian
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Hojati
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Borairi S, Ozdemir B, Jenkins J, Shah PS, Kingdom J, Ganea P. A follow up investigation of placental pathology, responsive parenting, and preschool children's executive functioning and language development. Child Neuropsychol 2023:1-18. [PMID: 37811813 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2023.2264535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite documented effects linking underlying placental diseases and neurological impairments in children, little is known about the long-term effects of placental pathology on children's neurocognitive outcomes. In addition, maternal responsivity, known to positively influence early postnatal cognitive development, may act to protect children from putative adverse effects of placental pathology. The current study is a follow up of medically healthy, term born, preschool age children, born with placental pathology. A sample of 118 children (45 comparison children with normal placental findings, 73 born with placental pathology) were followed when children were 3-4 years old. In comparison to children born to mothers with normal placentas, placental pathology was associated with poorer performance in the executive function involving cognitive flexibility, but not inhibitory control or receptive language. Maternal responsivity was observed to be marginally protective on the impact of placental pathology risk on cognitive flexibility, but this was not seen for either inhibitory control or receptive language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Borairi
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Begum Ozdemir
- Department of Psychology, Maltepe University, Maltepe, Turkey
| | - Jennifer Jenkins
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Prakesh S Shah
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - John Kingdom
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal Fetal Medicine Division, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Patricia Ganea
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Sankalaite S, Huizinga M, Warreyn P, Dewandeleer J, Baeyens D. The association between working memory, teacher-student relationship, and academic performance in primary school children. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1240741. [PMID: 37809289 PMCID: PMC10556679 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1240741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Early relationships with teachers play an important role in children's development and significantly influence students' cognitive and academic performance. Studies suggest that working memory (WM) is a strong predictor of academic achievement, especially of reading and arithmetic outcomes. The associations between teacher-student relationship (TSR) quality, children's WM skills and their academic performance have been reported in numerous observational studies. However, the potentially bidirectional and temporal nature of the relationships between these constructs is understudied. Methods The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between primary school children's WM and TSR by applying a cross-lagged design and measuring these constructs at three time points throughout the academic year. More exploratively, this study investigated how WM and TSR bidirectionally relate to children's academic performance. Results The findings of this study revealed a temporal relationship between WM and TSR: between WM-related problems in the classroom at baseline and conflict at 3-month follow-up, and between closeness at 3-month follow-up and WM-related problems in the classroom at 5-month follow-up. Moreover, the findings showed a bidirectional relationship between arithmetic performance and WM-related problematic behaviour. Discussion This study highlights that relationships between the teacher and students play an important role in supporting students' cognitive and academic development. Importantly, this study suggests that children with WM problems may benefit from interventions that focus on improving their relationships with teachers. Additionally, the findings propose that interventions targeting WM may also have positive effects on children's academic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Sankalaite
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mariëtte Huizinga
- Department of Educational and Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Petra Warreyn
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jolien Dewandeleer
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dieter Baeyens
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Wilke J, Goagoses N. Morality in middle childhood: the role of callous-unemotional traits and emotion regulation skills. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:283. [PMID: 37735710 PMCID: PMC10515015 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01328-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of morality is vital for fostering prosocial behavior and enhancing both individual and societal well-being. Clarifying what contextual and individual factors play a role in moral processes during childhood can contribute to our understanding of the development of morality. Given the previous acknowledgment of importance, yet lack of existing empirical findings, the study focused on the significance of callous-unemotional traits (i.e., an affective-interpersonal personality trait, related to psychopathy in adulthood) and emotion regulation (i.e., an essential part of socio-emotional competence, and a transdiagnostic factor in the development of psychopathology) for moral emotions and cognitions during middle childhood. The concrete aim was to examine direct and indirect effects of callous-unemotional trait dimensions (callousness, uncaring, unemotionality) onto immoral emotional attribution (i.e., feeling good after immoral decisions) and admissibility of immoral actions (i.e., evaluating immoral actions as being okay) via emotion regulation skills. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with 194 children attending Grades 1 to 4, and their primary caregivers. The children completed the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits and caregivers completed the Emotion Regulation Checklist. The children were also presented with a set of moral dilemma vignettes, and asked about the emotions of protagonists who acted immoral, and the admissibility of their actions. RESULTS Path-model analysis revealed (1) negative direct effects of emotion regulation skills onto immoral emotional attribution and admissibility of immoral actions, (2) positive direct effects of the dimensions callousness and uncaring onto immoral emotional attribution and admissibility of immoral actions, and (3) negative direct effects of dimensions callousness and uncaring onto emotion regulation skills. Indirect effects, indicating that emotion regulation skills mediate the association between the callous-unemotional trait dimensions and morality, were also found. CONCLUSION The findings address a knowledge gap and indicate that emotion regulation skills, callousness, and uncaring play an important role in morality in middle childhood and should be included in frameworks of moral decision-making and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Wilke
- Department of Special Needs Education & Rehabilitation, Carl von Ossietzky Universität of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Naska Goagoses
- Department of Special Needs Education & Rehabilitation, Carl von Ossietzky Universität of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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Fernandes VR, Becker DR, McClelland MM, Deslandes AC. Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task and EF in two samples of adolescents in Brazil and United States. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1149053. [PMID: 37780155 PMCID: PMC10539611 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1149053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) is a foundational cognitive construct, which is linked to better cognitive and physical health throughout development. The present study examines the construct validity of an EF task, the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task (HTKS) that was initially developed for young children, in a sample of adolescents. We investigate the initial validity and range in scores between 54 adolescents from Brazil (mean age 12.58) and 56 US adolescents (mean age 12.48) from different socioeconomic contexts. Results indicated that the HTKS showed sufficient variability in both samples, especially for a measure of HTKS efficiency (completion time divided by the total score). The US sample performed better on all cognitive measures. For the Brazilian sample, regression models controlling for age and sex showed a significant relationship between the digit span working memory task, the HTKS total score, and the HTKS efficiency score. The Heart and Flowers cognitive flexibility measure was also included as an independent variable only for the Brazil sample, showing a significant relationship with both HTKS scores. For the US sample, results showed that only the HTKS efficiency score was significantly related to the digit span working memory task. This study highlights the importance of cognitive efficiency measures to achieve greater validity, as they can assess a broader range of performance with different populations. The HTKS showed good ecological validity with two adolescent samples, as it differentiated between populations with high and low socioeconomic status from different cultural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valter R. Fernandes
- Exercise Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Derek R. Becker
- Department of Human Services, College of Education and Allied Professions, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, United States
| | - Megan M. McClelland
- Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children & Families, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Andrea C. Deslandes
- Exercise Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Cai D, Zhao J, Chen Z, Liu D. Executive Functions Training for 7- to 10-Year-Old Students With Mathematics Difficulty: Instant Effects and 6-Month Sustained Effects. JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES 2023; 56:392-409. [PMID: 35962536 DOI: 10.1177/00222194221117513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Executive function (EF) training has shown promise for remedying general EF deficiencies faced by students with mathematics difficulty (MD) and for improving their performance. However, latest research also suggests that the instant and sustained effects of EF training remain inconsistent. In this study, 32 Chinese students with MD, age 7 to 10 years, were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: the training group (n = 16, 25 training sessions) and the control group (n = 16). Both groups took a pretest, a posttest, and a follow-up test (after 6 months) on EF, fluid intelligence, and mathematics skills. In the posttest, the training group's performance significantly improved in 2-back, number shifting, letter shifting, calculation fluency, and mathematics problem-solving tasks, but not in Stroop, Flanker, 1-back, numerical operations, and colored progressive matrices tasks. In the follow-up test after 6 months, the effects of training only on the 2-back and letter shifting tasks were sustained. The effect on the numerical operations task appeared; however, the effects on number shifting, calculation fluency, and mathematics problem-solving tasks disappeared. The results of this study show that EF training has instant effects of improving EF and mathematics skills of students with MD, and 6-month sustained effects on some of the improved skills. However, for fluid intelligence, the effects may be very limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Cai
- Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Di Liu
- East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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Urbańska-Grosz J, Walkiewicz M, Sitek EJ. Is there sufficient evidence for the association between executive dysfunction and academic performance in adolescents with major depressive disorder?: a systematic review. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023:10.1007/s00787-023-02275-9. [PMID: 37561215 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02275-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Adult depression, undoubtedly associated with executive dysfunction, leads to poor work performance. As depression in adolescents may have a negative impact on school performance, we aimed to analyse the possible relationship between selected executive deficits and academic performance. Executive dysfunctions may have more severe consequences on school performance at high school, as this stage of education requires engagement in long-term goals, whether writing an essay or preparing for an exam. Whilst inhibitory control is necessary at all educational stages, it seems that planning and decision-making play a greater role in high school than in primary school. We reviewed studies on executive functions conducted in adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) to establish the possible relationship between executive processes and school performance in depressed adolescents. The search identified 5 studies addressing planning and decision-making in adolescents with MDD, but none of those studies reported educational achievement. We identified a considerable gap in the research on the functional impact of depression in adolescents. Identifying the link between specific executive deficits and school performance could guide tailored therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Urbańska-Grosz
- Rehabilitation Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gdanskie Centrum Zdrowia, Gdansk, Poland
- Laboratory of Clinical Neuropsychology, Neurolinguistics and Neuropsychotherapy, Division of Neurological and Psychiatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Maciej Walkiewicz
- Rehabilitation Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gdanskie Centrum Zdrowia, Gdansk, Poland
- Division of Quality of Life Research, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Emilia J Sitek
- Rehabilitation Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gdanskie Centrum Zdrowia, Gdansk, Poland.
- Laboratory of Clinical Neuropsychology, Neurolinguistics and Neuropsychotherapy, Division of Neurological and Psychiatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
- Department of Neurology, St. Adalbert Hospital, Copernicus PL, Gdansk, Poland.
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Laifer LM, Tomaso CC, Chang OD, Phillips EM, James TD, Nelson JM, Espy KA, Alex Mason W, Nelson TD. Early executive control buffers risk for adolescent psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Adolesc 2023; 95:1205-1219. [PMID: 37211897 PMCID: PMC10526894 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a global impact on youth mental health, and there is a critical need for research examining individual factors that contribute to increased psychopathology during the pandemic. The current study explored whether executive control (EC) abilities in early childhood interact with COVID-related stress to attenuate risk for adolescent psychopathology during the first 6 months of the pandemic. METHODS Participants were 337 youth (49% female) living in a small midwestern city in the United States. Participants completed EC tasks when they were approximately 4.5 years old as part of a longitudinal study investigating cognitive development. At annual laboratory visits during adolescence and before the pandemic, participants (Mage = 14.57) reported on mental health symptoms. In July and August of 2020, participants (Mage = 16.57) reported on COVID-related stress and depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms. RESULTS COVID-related stress was associated with increased internalizing problems after controlling for prepandemic symptom levels. Further, the impact of COVID-related stress on adolescent internalizing problems was moderated by preschool EC, with higher levels of EC buffering the effects of COVID-related stress on adolescent internalizing problems. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the importance of promoting EC early in development, as well as screening for EC deficits and implementing targeted intervention strategies across the lifespan to help reduce the impact of stress on adolescent internalizing problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Laifer
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Cara C Tomaso
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Olivia D Chang
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Eric M Phillips
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Tiffany D James
- Office of Research and Economic Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Jennifer Mize Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
- Office of Research and Economic Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Kimberly Andrews Espy
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Long School of Medicine, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - W Alex Mason
- Department of Child, Youth, & Family Studies, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Timothy D Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
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Deodhar AV, Bertenthal BI. How attention factors into executive function in preschool children. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1146101. [PMID: 37502749 PMCID: PMC10369189 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1146101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Executive Function consists of self-regulation processes which underlie our ability to plan, coordinate, and complete goal-directed actions in our daily lives. While attention is widely considered to be central to the emergence and development of executive function during early childhood, it is not clear if it is integral or separable from other executive function processes. Previous studies have not addressed this question satisfactorily because executive function and attention are multidimensional constructs, but they are often studied without differentiating the specific processes that are tested. Moreover, some studies consist of only one task per process, making it difficult to ascertain if the pattern of results is attributable to different processes or more simply to task variance. The main aim of this study was to more fully investigate how attention factored into the underlying structure of executive function in preschool children. Preschool children (n = 137) completed a battery of tasks which included executive function (i.e., response inhibition, working memory) and attentional control (i.e., sustained attention, selective attention) processes; there were two tasks per process. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to test which of three models fit the data best: (1) a unitary one-factor model with attention loading onto the same factor as other executive function processes, (2) a two-factor model with attention loading onto a separate factor than other executive function processes, or (3) a three-factor model with attention, response inhibition, and working memory as separate factors. Fit indices and model comparisons indicated that the two-factor model fit the data best, suggesting that attentional control and executive function were related, but separable. Although this study is not the first to advocate for a two-factor model during the preschool years, it is the first to suggest that the two factors are attentional control and executive function, not working memory and response inhibition. One important implication of these findings is that a complete assessment of executive function during the preschool years necessitates measuring not only response inhibition and working memory, but attentional control as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi V. Deodhar
- HANDS in Autism Interdisciplinary Training and Resource Center, Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, Department of Psychiatry, IU School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Bennett I. Bertenthal
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
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Cano-Villagrasa A, Moya-Faz FJ, Cortés-Ramos A, López-Zamora M. Emotional and behavioral alterations and their relationship with executive functioning in the pediatric population with autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy: a comparative study. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1219177. [PMID: 37457105 PMCID: PMC10348750 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The pediatric population with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and epilepsy presents behavioral and emotional alterations that hinder their correct developmental maturation as well as their integration in different contexts such as school, family or social. This population shows atypical behavioral and emotional patterns, with difficulties in emotional regulation, understanding of emotions, aggressiveness, or low frustration tolerance. They also present alterations in executive functions, which significantly influence the emotional and behavioral characteristics of this population. Research suggests that epilepsy worsens the emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning status. Objective To explore differences in behavioral, emotional, and executive functioning profile in individuals with a diagnosis of ASD, epilepsy, and ASD with epilepsy. Method In this quasi-experimental and cross-sectional study, a total of 170 participants were selected and distributed into three groups: a group of participants with ASD, a group with epilepsy, and a group of participants with ASD and epilepsy. The SENA, BASC-3, and ENFEN tests were administered to verify the behavioral, emotional, and executive functioning profile in the three groups. Results The results indicate that individuals diagnosed with ASD and epilepsy present greater emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning alterations compared to those who only present ASD or epilepsy. Conclusion Individuals with ASD and epilepsy present significant alterations in emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning processes, which hinder their adaptation to different contexts, as well as decreasing their quality of life and that of their family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Cano-Villagrasa
- Health Sciences PhD Program, Departamento de Psicología Básica, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica de Murcia UCAM, Murcia, Spain
- Universidad Internacional de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco J. Moya-Faz
- Cátedra Psicogeriatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Antonio Cortés-Ramos
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Miguel López-Zamora
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
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Sonnier F, Lussiana E, Gueraud S. Boosting inhibition control process by knitting at school. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1062001. [PMID: 37434886 PMCID: PMC10332321 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1062001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Across two experiments, the presented research explored the impact of a knitting bout on elementary school pupils' inhibition abilities. They proposed an accurate measure of the pupils' inhibition abilities through the use of a stop-signal paradigm. In order to take into account, the differentiation between cool and hot inhibitions abilities, the emotional content of the stimuli was manipulated across experiments. Neutral materials were used in Experiment 1 when emotionally charged materials were in Experiment 2. The findings of both experiments highlighted a beneficial impact of the knitting bout on children's inhibition abilities. While the results of Experiment 1 showed an optimization of inhibition abilities for the knitting session group in comparison to the control group, Experiment 2 revealed a disappearance of the effect of the emotional content on these abilities as well. Proposals as to why EF could be sensitive to knitting practice are discussed.
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Zeytinoglu S, Morales S, Henderson HA, Fox NA. A Developmental Pathway from Early Inhibitory Control to Social Connectedness. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:805-817. [PMID: 36708411 PMCID: PMC10625848 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01023-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Social connections are critical for mental and physical health; however, the developmental pathways to children's social connectedness outcomes are not well understood. This study examined the pathways from children's inhibitory control at 4 years to two social connectedness outcomes - loneliness and friendship quality at age 10 - through behavioral problems at age 7. As part of a longitudinal study (N = 291, 54% girls), children's inhibitory control was assessed via a Go/No-Go task when children were 4 years old. Mothers reported on children's behavioral problems at ages 4 and 7 years. Children reported on their friendship quality and loneliness at ages 7 and 10 years. Greater inhibitory control at 4 years predicted lower behavioral problems at 7 years, which in turn predicted better friendship quality and lower loneliness at 10 years. Indirect effects from inhibitory control at 4 years to loneliness and friendship quality at 10 years via behavioral problems at 7 years were significant. Findings suggest that inhibitory control in early childhood may play a key role for the development of social connectedness in middle childhood via its impact on children's behavioral problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selin Zeytinoglu
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, 4716 Pontiac St., Suite 2104, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Santiago Morales
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, 4716 Pontiac St., Suite 2104, College Park, MD, USA
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Clayden JD, Hope S, Argyri F, Goksan S, Stefani A, Wei L, Liegeois FJ. The impact of multiple language exposure on cognition during childhood: evidence from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1158333. [PMID: 37275707 PMCID: PMC10233113 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1158333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Many studies argue that exposure to, and use of, multiple languages in childhood has beneficial effects beyond the linguistic domain, including on executive functions (EFs), although recent evidence remains controversial. EFs encompass abilities necessary for regulating goal-directed behaviours in everyday life and, in children, EFs strongly predict later academic achievement and wellbeing. One theoretical framework distinguishes "hot" EFs, which have a reward or affective component, from "cool" EFs that do not. How exposure to more than one language in early childhood modulates hot and cool EFs in later childhood, alongside other environmental and cognitive factors, remains poorly understood. Methods We analysed data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study, a large-scale, nationally representative longitudinal cohort study, which provides information on perinatal and environmental factors (e.g., languages spoken in the home, maternal education) alongside cognitive measures assessed in English. At 3 years, we examined the effect of multiple language exposure on the Bracken school readiness assessment (knowledge of shapes, letters, etc.), and on naming vocabulary. At age 11, we examined the predictors of cool EF, measured with a spatial working memory task; hot EF, measured using a gambling task; and vocabulary, measured using a verbal reasoning task. Results Data from 16,134 children were analysed. At age 3, a negative effect of multiple language exposure on school readiness and vocabulary was observed, but the difference was smaller with higher maternal education. At age 11, there was also a negative effect on vocabulary, but smaller than that observed at age 3. There were no direct effects of language exposure on either spatial working memory or gambling scores. For hot EF, the multiple language exposure effects were indirect, mediated by early cognition, and the most significant predictor of gambling strategy was sex. For cool EF, school readiness and vocabulary at age 3 were the strongest predictors. Discussion Our findings, based on a UK population sample, highlight the importance of considering socioeconomic status and early-life abilities when interpreting the effects of language environments on hot and cool EFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Clayden
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Hope
- Population Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Froso Argyri
- Centre for Applied Linguistics, UCL Institute of Education, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sezgi Goksan
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Applied Linguistics, UCL Institute of Education, London, United Kingdom
| | - Artemis Stefani
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Li Wei
- Centre for Applied Linguistics, UCL Institute of Education, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frederique Jeanne Liegeois
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
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Bagdasarov A, Roberts K, Brunet D, Michel CM, Gaffrey MS. Exploring the association between EEG microstates during resting-state and error-related activity in young children. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2865543. [PMID: 37205415 PMCID: PMC10187414 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2865543/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection in the electroencephalography (EEG) waveform at frontal-central scalp sites that occurs after error commission. The relationship between the ERN and broader patterns of brain activity measured across the entire scalp that support error processing during early childhood is unclear. We examined the relationship between the ERN and EEG microstates - whole-brain patterns of dynamically evolving scalp potential topographies that reflect periods of synchronized neural activity - during both a go/no-go task and resting-state in 90, 4-8-year-old children. The mean amplitude of the ERN was quantified during the - 64 to 108 millisecond (ms) period of time relative to error commission, which was determined by data-driven microstate segmentation of error-related activity. We found that greater magnitude of the ERN associated with greater global explained variance (GEV; i.e., the percentage of total variance in the data explained by a given microstate) of an error-related microstate observed during the same - 64 to 108 ms period (i.e., error-related microstate 3), and to greater parent-report-measured anxiety risk. During resting-state, six data-driven microstates were identified. Both greater magnitude of the ERN and greater GEV values of error-related microstate 3 associated with greater GEV values of resting-state microstate 4, which showed a frontal-central scalp topography. Source localization results revealed overlap between the underlying neural generators of error-related microstate 3 and resting-state microstate 4 and canonical brain networks (e.g., ventral attention) known to support the higher-order cognitive processes involved in error processing. Taken together, our results clarify how individual differences in error-related and intrinsic brain activity are related and enhance our understanding of developing brain network function and organization supporting error processing during early childhood.
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