Applied Neuropsychology: Child最新文献

The aim was to investigate the effectiveness of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) on increasing cognitive flexibility and processing speed in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The present study is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. Linear regression models were used to assess within-person differences within conditions for each outcome. Post-test scores were considered as dependent variables explained by condition and pretest scores as the independent variables. Paired t-tests were conducted within condition to document pre-to-post differences. Children were recruited among children referred to an ADHD clinic by pediatricians, general practitioners, teachers, psychologists, or parents. In a survey, 180 children aged 6-10 y/o were assessed for eligibility, and of them, 120 passed screening and qualified to participate in the study. Out of 120 participants, 15 refused to participate, and 45 had missing data, so they were dropped out from the study. Findings did directly support the hypotheses; results from regression analyses suggest that tDCS had a significant impact on cognitive flexibility and processing speed in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder, with clinical diagnosis primarily relying on behavioral manifestations and lacking objective biological markers. Electroencephalography (EEG), due to its high temporal resolution and low cost, has been considered to hold great potential for assisting ADHD diagnosis. However, existing methods mostly focus on modeling two-dimensional features such as time-space, frequency-space, or time-frequency representations of EEG, while very few approaches simultaneously capture the joint three-dimensional time-frequency and spatial features. In this paper, we propose a novel deep learning framework-TFS-FENet (Time-Frequency Spatial Feature Extraction Net)-which integrates convolutional neural networks with an attention mechanism to effectively model the time-frequency-spatial characteristics of EEG. Using a resting-state EEG dataset collected at Southeast University, consisting of three categories (ADHD-Inattentive, ADHD-Combined, and typically developing children), experimental results show that TFS-FENet achieves an accuracy of 96.89% in the ADHD three-class classification task, significantly outperforming comparison models such as ShallowConvNet, EEGNet, ResNet18, and DeepConvNet. In the binary classification task (ADHD vs. typically developing children), accuracy further improved to 99.36%. Moreover, interpretability analysis based on channel weights revealed that the model relied more heavily on the prefrontal, temporal, and occipital regions, which is highly consistent with existing neurobiological findings of ADHD.

Objectives: The aim was to investigate the mediating role of processing speed in the relationship between working memory and fluid reasoning in children with a reading disorder (dyslexia).

Methods: A descriptive-correlational method was employed. A group of 300 students from inclusive schools in Mecca were selected by convenience sampling from among students who were diagnosed as having dyslexia. To collect data, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale and the Arabic Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale were used.

Results: Working memory has a significant relationship with fluid reasoning. Results showed a significant relationship between working memory and fluid reasoning, but the mediating role of processing speed in the relationship between fluid reasoning and working memory in children with dyslexia was not confirmed.

Conclusion: The findings of the present study show that only 52% of the changes in the fluid reasoning variable are influenced by processing speed and working memory, and the mediating role of processing speed in the relationship between fluid reasoning and working memory in children with dyslexia was rejected.

Conceptual frameworks for cultural competence are essential in psychological care. The assessment of implementation efforts in pediatric neuropsychological contexts is particularly lacking. This study investigated an adapted training program for the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI), including impact on provider cultural competence and perspectives on adaptation and implementation. Neuropsychological care providers (N = 16) participated in an adapted, group-based CFI training. The training included review of an online module, supplemented with reflective discussion. Participants completed pre- and post-training measures of perceived cultural competence, as well as a post-training survey assessing acceptability and utility of the CFI and training, facilitators and barriers to implementation, and potential adaptations to the CFI. The CFI and adapted training were rated highly on acceptability and utility. Self-reported confidence and competence in delivering culturally responsive care increased from pre- to post-training (z = -3.4; p = .0007). Key barriers and facilitators to implementation included resource needs, continuing education, and systemic change. Participants identified a theoretical, abbreviated 5-item CFI including alternative wording to fit their clinical needs. Overall, the adapted CFI training enhanced perceived cultural competence among pediatric neuropsychological providers, with strong acceptability and relevance to clinical practice. Recommendations will guide future training and systemic implementation.

This study aimed to examine the factor structure of the BRIEF-2 in Spanish-speaking adolescents and explore the relationship between the BRIEF-2 executive indices, antisocial behaviors (ASB), and academic achievement. The sample consisted of 122 adolescents aged 14 to 17 (M = 15.44, SD = 1.27). Data for the BRIEF Parent were collected from 148 subjects, and data for the BRIEF Teacher were obtained from teachers of 138 adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed that the three-factor solution that encompassed the indices of (1) behavior regulation, (2) emotion regulation, and (3) cognitive regulation best fit the data. Significant associations were found between intelligence, executive functions (EF), and ASB. Intelligence correlated with anxiety/withdrawal, while EF correlated with aggressiveness. A critical finding from the path analysis was that EF completely mediated the relationship between aggressiveness and academic achievement. Additionally, Multigroup-CFA confirms that this mediation process was not moderated by sex. This study validates the factor structure of the BRIEF-2 in Spanish-speaking adolescents, offering a valuable contribution to the assessment of executive functioning in both clinical settings and research. Crucially, the evidence highlights EF as a key mechanism to target in interventions aiming to decrease aggressiveness and improve academic resilience against the negative impact of antisocial behavior.

Background: The present study aims to systematically evaluate the effects of exercise types on inhibitory control and working memory in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder through meta-analysis.

Methods: This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA guidelines). Four databases, including Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane were searched. The search date range was from the creation of the database to April 15, 2025. The following three groups of subject terms were used for combined search: (1) intervention, experiment, and exercise; (2) executive function, inhibitory control, and inhibition; (3) population: children, primary school students, and adolescents. The three groups of subject terms were selected as follows: "primary school student", "juvenile", "school-age child", "schoolchild", "young child", "ADHD", "attention deficit hyperactivity disorder" (ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and the Boolean logic operator "AND" was used to connect the three groups of subject terms. Inclusion criteria: (1) The subjects were children with ADHD (6-16 years old) (2) Long-term exercise intervention in a real-world setting, with an intervention period of ≥ 4 weeks; (3) The study design was a randomized controlled trial (RCT); (4) The outcome variables included inhibitory control, inhibition, etc. Exclusion criteria: (1) Cross-sectional studies, case-control studies, and other descriptive studies; (2) Reviews, abstracts, letters, and comments that lacked a clear description of the study design; (3) Articles with incomplete data and inability to obtain the required data through other channels.

Results: The effects of sport-based exercise modalities; physical and mental exercises, cognitive + exercise, and ball games on the inhibitory control and working memory of ADHD children are better than those of the control group. The effects of ball games are better than those of single aerobic exercise and combined exercises. Ball games may be the most effective intervention measure for the inhibitory control and working memory.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the mental health of young individuals globally, leading to increased emotional dysregulation due to various cumulative stressors. This study assesses a therapeutic approach that combines group-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with executive function (EF) training in 36 children (55% female, M = 11.2 ± 1.8 years; 45% male, M = 10.4 ± 1.6 years) experiencing emotional distress in the post-pandemic context of returning to in-person classes. We evaluate executive functions, including working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, as well as emotional responses (self-reported) and psychophysiological changes measured by heart rate variability (HRV). Post-intervention, children exhibit improvements in working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal), and parasympathetic activity. Executive functioning domains, such as working memory and flexibility, significantly predict enhancements in emotional responses. The findings indicate that integrating CBT and EF training can effectively improve cognitive and emotional regulation in children experiencing post-pandemic distress. This suggests the feasibility and preliminary potential of integrating executive function training with CBT to enhance and foster emotional regulation. However, further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in larger samples.

The interpretability of FSIQ is often believed to rely on variability across index scores, although studies show that FSIQ is the strongest predictor of academic achievement, regardless of scatter. This study investigated whether IQ scatter affects the predictive validity of FSIQ on academic achievement in youth with neurodevelopmental disorders. A retrospective chart review was conducted with patients aged 6-16 evaluated at a developmental assessment clinic between 3/2018 and 12/2022 (N = 76, 74% male, 76% White). Moderation analyses were conducted using the FSIQ as a predictor, index scatter as a moderator, and academic achievement factor as a dependent variable. Index scatter was a significant moderator for the predictive effect of FSIQ on broad achievement and broad written language. The Johnson-Neyman technique revealed that the effect of FSIQ on broad achievement was significant when the index scatter was ≤ 54 in our sample. The results are consistent with previous studies, as the robust predictive validity of FSIQ was overall demonstrated. However, this study also provides novel information suggesting that the predictive validity of the FSIQ for academic achievement in neurodevelopmental disorders may weaken as index score scatter increases, a relationship that became statistically nonsignificant within our sample at highly elevated levels.

The aim was to investigate effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tPCS) on the neuropsychology of social functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder. It was expected that children with ASD randomly assigned to the experimental tPCS condition would show improvements in the neuropsychology of social functioning compared to those in the sham group. This study was a multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized trial conducted at eight center for autism in Mecca, KSA. A total of 60 participants (30 in the tPCS group and 30 in the sham group) completed 10 treatment sessions and were included in the analysis. Post-intervention, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare primary and secondary outcomes between the intervention and sham groups. As hypothesized the delivered tPCS had a pre-to-post intervention effect on the neuropsychology of social functioning in children with ASD. Specifically, children with ASD randomly assigned to the experimental tPCS condition showed improvements in the neuropsychology of social functioning compared to those in the sham group. Those children did not have significant changes in scores from pre-to-post intervention time points.

The BRIEF2 Teacher and Self-Report Forms are analyzed regarding their psychometric properties in representative Portuguese samples. The analyses addressed reliability (internal consistency, test-retest, and interrater reliability) and construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis and measurement invariance). Participants were 1097 Portuguese children and adolescents (n = 582 girls and n = 515 boys) from 6 to 18 years old assessed by teachers (Teacher Form), and 906 Portuguese children and adolescents (n = 486 girls and n = 420 boys) from 10 to 18 years old (Self-Report Form). Internal consistency was adequate for the Teacher Form (.842 to .973) and the Self-Report Form (.706 to .942). The test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from .68 to .92 in the Teacher Form, and from .70 to .88 in the Self-Report Form. The correlation coefficients between Teacher and Self-Report Forms (interrater reliability) were ≤ .29, stressing the importance of different perspectives of executive functions. Regarding construct validity, the clinical scales correlated from .310 to .857 in the Teacher Form and from .414 to .749 in the Self-Report Form. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the three-correlated-factor model evidenced a better fit than other three competing models. Measurement invariance of the three-factor model across sex was established for the Self-Report Form (configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance). Overall, the results indicate that the BRIEF2 Teacher and Self-Report Forms can be considered reliable and valid assessment instruments of executive functions in Portuguese children and adolescents.