Associations between executive functions, intelligence and adaptive behaviour in children and adolescents with mild intellectual disability

Training Response Abilities of Children With Intellectual Disabilities: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Response abilities, i.e., response time (RT) and response force (RF), which are essential for efficient motor control, are impaired in children with intellectual disabilities (ID). The study aimed to evaluate the effects of object control skills training, computer-based games training, or standard care on the RT and RF of children with ID when measured across task conditions. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a special education school where 75 children with ID, between 9 and 17 years of age, were randomly assigned to object control skills training, computer-based games training, or standard care, where intervention groups were provided thrice a week for four weeks. The RT and RF were measured using a response analyzer for simple response task, (passive and active) dual-task, and choice response task at baseline, post-intervention, and four-week follow-up. The RT significantly reduced with object control skills training (ηp2= .325) and computer-based games training (ηp2= .159). Participants who received the object control skills training had greater stability in force production than the other groups. With training, children with ID take less time and show better stability in their ability to modulate force in various task settings, with more pronounced effects with the object control skills training.

Associations between intelligence, everyday executive functions, and symptoms of mental health problems in children and adolescents with mild intellectual disability

Background: Children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities have been found to have a higher prevalence of symptoms of mental health problems than the general population, but it is unclear whether these challenges are related to intelligence. The aim of this study was to explore the associations among symptoms of mental health problems, everyday executive functions and intelligence in this group. Methods: Forty children and adolescents, pre-diagnosed with mild intellectual disability, were assessed for symptoms of mental health problems, intelligence, and everyday executive functions. The associations were explored using linear regression analyses. Results: Symptoms of mental health problems were associated with everyday executive functions but not with intelligence. The prevalence of mental health problems within the group was three to four times higher than what is typically observed in the general population. Conclusion: Although a remarkably high prevalence of symptoms of mental health problems was found among children and adolescents with pre-diagnosed mild intellectual disability, no relationship to intelligence was discovered in this population. Instead, a relationship between everyday executive functions and symptoms of mental health problems was found. Assessing everyday executive functions in children and adolescents with mild intellectual disability can provide valuable information about what support should be provided to prevent mental health problems in this population.

Cognitive flexibility assessment in youth with Down syndrome: Reliability, practice effects, and validity

BACKGROUND

Cognitive flexibility refers to the ability to switch between different mental sets, tasks, or strategies and is challenging for some individuals with Down syndrome (DS). The lack of reliable and valid cognitive flexibility measures for individuals with DS is a major barrier to clinical trials and intervention studies designed to address cognitive challenges specific to DS. To avoid measurement limitations that could confound interpretations of performance in clinical trials in children with DS, it is critical to use phenotype-sensitive and psychometrically sound measures of cognitive flexibility.

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of three measures of cognitive flexibility including Rule-Shift, Weigl Sorting, and KiTAP Flexibility in a sample of 97 youth with DS aged 6-17 years old.

METHOD

Data were collected at two time points with a two-week interval. Parents also completed adaptive behavior and cognitive flexibility questionnaires. Child cognitive and language abilities were also assessed.

RESULTS

The Weigl Sorting met the most psychometric criteria, with adequate feasibility (≥ 80 %) and significant correlations with most of the broader developmental domains; however, the levels of test-retest reliability, practice effects, and convergent validity did not meet a priori criteria. Rule-Shift and KiTAP Flexibility measures did not have acceptable feasibility; although sensitivity and specificity analyses revealed that Rule-Shift may be appropriate for a subgroup of the participants.

CONCLUSION

No evaluated measures met all psychometric study criteria and, therefore, additional evaluation of cognitive flexibility measures is needed for use among individuals with DS.