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1.
Clin Neuropsychol ; 38(2): 279-301, 2024 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37291078

ABSTRACT

Objective: Missed patient appointments have a substantial negative impact on patient care, child health and well-being, and clinic functioning. This study aims to identify health system interface and child/family demographic characteristics as potential predictors of appointment attendance in a pediatric outpatient neuropsychology clinic. Method: Pediatric patients (N = 6,976 across 13,362 scheduled appointments) who attended versus missed scheduled appointments at a large, urban assessment clinic were compared on a broad array of factors extracted from the medical record, and the cumulative impact of significant risk factors was examined. Results: In the final multivariate logistic regression model, health system interface factors that significantly predicted more missed appointments included a higher percentage of previous missed appointments within the broader medical center, missing pre-visit intake paperwork, assessment/testing appointment type, and visit timing relative to the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e. more missed appointments prior to the pandemic). Demographic characteristics that significantly predicted more missed appointments in the final model included Medicaid (medical assistance) insurance and greater neighborhood disadvantage per the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Waitlist length, referral source, season, format (telehealth vs. in-person), need for interpreter, language, and age were not predictive of appointment attendance. Taken together, 7.75% of patients with zero risk factors missed their appointment, while 22.30% of patients with five risk factors missed their appointment. Conclusions: Pediatric neuropsychology clinics have a unique array of factors that impact successful attendance, and identification of these factors can help inform policies, clinic procedures, and strategies to decrease barriers, and thus increase appointment attendance, in similar settings.


Subject(s)
Neuropsychology , Outpatients , Humans , Child , Pandemics , Neuropsychological Tests , Appointments and Schedules , Medical Assistance , Demography
2.
J Atten Disord ; 28(1): 99-108, 2024 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37864347

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Children with ADHD commonly exhibit sleep disturbances, but there is limited knowledge about how sleep and sleep timing are associated with cognitive dysfunction in children with ADHD. METHODS: Participants were 350 children aged 5 to 12 years diagnosed with ADHD. Three sleep-related constructs-time in bed, social jetlag (i.e., discrepancy in sleep timing pattern between school nights and weekend nights), and sleep disturbances were measured using a caregiver-report questionnaire. Linear regression models assessed the associations between sleep-related constructs and cognitive performance. RESULTS: After adjustment for sociodemographic variables, there were few associations between time in bed or sleep disturbances and cognitive performance, however, greater social jetlag was negatively associated with processing speed (ß = -.20, 95% CI [-0.35, -0.06]), visually-based reasoning (ß = -.13, 95% CI [-0.27, 0.00]), and language-based reasoning (ß = -.22, 95% CI [-0.36, -0.08]); all p < .05). CONCLUSION: Social jetlag, but not time in bed or disturbances, was associated with lower cognitive performance among children with ADHD.


Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Circadian Rhythm , Humans , Child , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/complications , Time Factors , Sleep , Jet Lag Syndrome/complications , Surveys and Questionnaires , Processing Speed
3.
Patient Educ Couns ; 118: 108020, 2024 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37871354

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Effective healthcare communication (HCC) is critical for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who may have complex healthcare needs. The goal of this study was to gain family caregiver and provider perspectives on facilitators and challenges to effective HCC for youth with IDD. METHODS: Caregivers of, and providers for youth with IDD were recruited from the community to participate in virtual focus group (FG) sessions. FGs were 60-90 min long and were facilitated by a research team consisting of caregivers and providers. The FGs were recorded, transcribed, and coded inductively for HCC themes. RESULTS: Nineteen stakeholders participated in the FGs (caregivers: n = 14; providers: n = 5). Twenty-three themes were coded from the transcripts and were categorized by whether they focused on providers, caregivers, or healthcare systems. CONCLUSIONS: Provider behaviors such as active listening and demonstrating humility were found to be critical for effective HCC. Fewer caregiver factors, such as advocacy, and systems factors such as visit format, emerged from the FG data. FG themes represent challenges that future interventions must address. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Efforts to improve HCC, and thus healthcare outcomes for youth with IDD, should address challenges identified by caregivers and providers.


Subject(s)
Caregivers , Intellectual Disability , Adolescent , Humans , Communication , Delivery of Health Care , Developmental Disabilities/therapy , Focus Groups , Intellectual Disability/therapy
4.
Child Neuropsychol ; : 1-14, 2023 Nov 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37930038

ABSTRACT

Pediatric brain tumor survivors demonstrate weaknesses in adaptive functioning, most notably practical adaptive skills; however, the specific areas of weakness within practical skills are unknown. This study examined the aspects of practical adaptive functions that are most impacted in brain tumor survivors, and identified medical and socio-demographic variables that predicted outcomes. The sample included 117 pediatric brain tumor patients seen for a clinical neuropsychological evaluation and whose parents completed the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Second or Third Edition. T-tests compared practical adaptive skills to normative means. Correlations examined associations between medical and socio-demographic variables and each of the practical adaptive subscales (Community Use, Home Living, Health & Safety, Self-Care). Significant correlations were entered into linear regression models for each practical adaptive skill. All practical subscales were significantly below the normative mean. Community Use was positively correlated with age at diagnosis and negatively correlated with treatment burden, time since diagnosis, and neighborhood deprivation. Health and Safety was positively correlated with age at diagnosis. Home Living was positively correlated with neighborhood deprivation. Self-Care was positively correlated with age at diagnosis and parental education. Specific medical and socio-demographic factors predicted practical adaptive functioning, highlighting the importance of considering the role of medical and socio-demographic determinants of health on adaptive functioning outcomes in pediatric brain tumors.

5.
Child Neuropsychol ; : 1-35, 2023 Sep 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37712631

ABSTRACT

Cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS, previously referred to as sluggish cognitive tempo) is a unique set of symptoms distinct from ADHD inattentive symptoms that appear to be independently associated with neuropsychological and psychosocial outcomes in community and ADHD-specific samples of youth. However, our understanding of CDS in individuals with chronic or complex medical conditions is limited. The current systematic review is the first to summarize the literature on CDS prevalence rates and associations with neurocognitive and functional outcomes in youth with medical conditions, and to discuss areas of future research to guide clinical intervention. We conducted literature searches across four major databases and included studies assessing prevalence estimates, associations with neuropsychological and/or psychosocial functioning, or predictors of CDS in individuals with chronic or complex medical conditions. Twenty-five studies were identified and retained. Fifteen of sixteen studies reported elevations in CDS symptoms, though findings were mixed in studies comparing mean differences to typically developing youth. Seven studies provided inconsistent evidence for CDS being associated with neuropsychological or academic functioning, with six studies demonstrating consistent effects on psychosocial functioning. Finally, nine studies identified biological and sociodemographic factors associated with CDS, though almost all await replication. CDS symptoms are significantly elevated in youth with medical conditions and appear to be particularly linked with psychosocial functioning. Future research is needed to identify prevalence of CDS across a range of medical conditions, examine associations with neuropsychological and psychosocial functioning, and examine whether CDS impacts self-management.

6.
Patient Educ Couns ; 116: 107935, 2023 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37579619

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Supporting childhood cancer survivors with neurocognitive late effects is critical and requires additional attention in the research arena. This convening project's aim was to engage parents, healthcare providers, and education stakeholders in order to identify research priorities regarding patient/family-provider communication about neurocognitive impacts associated with childhood cancer. METHODS: Specific components of the Stakeholder Engagement in quEstion Development (SEED) method were combined with an online e-Delphi consensus building approach. Multiple modalities were utilized for engagement including in-person/hybrid meetings, email/Zoom/call communications, targeted-asynchronous learning activities by stakeholders, iterative surveys, and hands-on conceptual modeling. RESULTS: Twenty-four (parents n = 10, educators n = 5, healthcare providers n = 9) participated in the year-long project, generating 8 research questions in the stakeholder priority domains of training families/caregiver, access of neuropsychological assessment, tools to facilitate communication and training medical providers. CONCLUSIONS: This paper illustrates a successful stakeholder convening process using multi-modal engagement to establish research priorities. The resulting questions can be utilized to guide research projects that will fill gaps to providing optimal care to children with neurocognitive late effects. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This process can be used as a template for tackling other healthcare issues that span across disciplines and domains, where stakeholders have rare opportunities to collaborate.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Humans , Child , Neoplasms/complications , Caregivers , Delivery of Health Care , Health Personnel , Research
7.
J Intell ; 11(7)2023 Jul 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37504780

ABSTRACT

One important aspect of construct validity is structural validity. Structural validity refers to the degree to which scores of a psychological test are a reflection of the dimensionality of the construct being measured. A factor analysis, which assumes that unobserved latent variables are responsible for the covariation among observed test scores, has traditionally been employed to provide structural validity evidence. Factor analytic studies have variously suggested either four or five dimensions for the WISC-V and it is unlikely that any new factor analytic study will resolve this dimensional dilemma. Unlike a factor analysis, an exploratory graph analysis (EGA) does not assume a common latent cause of covariances between test scores. Rather, an EGA identifies dimensions by locating strongly connected sets of scores that form coherent sub-networks within the overall network. Accordingly, the present study employed a bootstrap EGA technique to investigate the structure of the 10 WISC-V primary subtests using a large clinical sample (N = 7149) with a mean age of 10.7 years and a standard deviation of 2.8 years. The resulting structure was composed of four sub-networks that paralleled the first-order factor structure reported in many studies where the fluid reasoning and visual-spatial dimensions merged into a single dimension. These results suggest that discrepant construct and scoring structures exist for the WISC-V that potentially raise serious concerns about the test interpretations of psychologists who employ the test structure preferred by the publisher.

8.
Dev Neuropsychol ; 48(5): 203-214, 2023 07 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37287263

ABSTRACT

T-tests from 42 brain tumor patients showed adaptive functioning below normative means at both time points (test interval M=2.60y, SD=1.32). Neurological risk, time since diagnosis,age at diagnosis, age at evaluation, and time since evaluation were correlated with specific adaptive skills. There was a main effect of age at diagnosis, age at assessment, time since diagnosis, and neurological risk as well as an interaction of age at diagnosis × neurological risk for specific adaptive skills. Results highlight the importance of considering the relationship between developmental and medical variables on changes in adaptive functioning in survivors of pediatric brain tumors.


Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms , Child , Humans , Brain Neoplasms/complications , Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis , Survivors
9.
J Pediatr Hematol Oncol Nurs ; 40(4): 226-234, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37032468

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Psychosocial impacts of cancer are well-recognized for pediatric patients but few studies examine challenges specific to schooling after diagnosis and caregiver-related factors that may influence coping. This study describes caregiver experiences of school-related psychosocial functioning and how caregiver preparedness and understanding of these challenges influence coping. Methods: Caregivers of 175 childhood cancer survivors completed a nationally disseminated survey related to caregiver preparedness, clinician-provided education, and school-related experiences. Caregiver-reported preparedness and understanding were evaluated as predictors of psychosocial coping; factor analysis was performed to identify compound scales of preparedness and understanding. Results: Caregivers reported that the cancer treatment experience resulted in their children being more stressed and anxious about returning to school (60.2% and 70.2%, respectively) and more sensitive to peers (73.4%). It also made it harder for them to socialize and fit in with peers (58.2% and 49.7%, respectively). Caregiver preparedness and understanding predicted improved psychosocial coping with regard to child stress regarding socialization, fitting in, and anxiety but not sensitivity to peers. Teacher supportiveness and caregiver perception of clinician understanding also correlated with function. Discussion: Findings highlight the importance of caregiver education and preparedness as these reliably predict child psychosocial function and coping as they return to school after a cancer diagnosis and that all children are at risk for psychosocial challenges following a cancer diagnosis. Opportunities exist for clinicians to provide more education and anticipatory guidance to families as a potential means to reduce poor coping when a child returns to school following cancer.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Psychiatric Rehabilitation , Humans , Child , Return to School , Parents/psychology , Adaptation, Psychological , Neoplasms/therapy , Schools
10.
J Pediatr Hematol Oncol Nurs ; 40(4): 217-225, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36919251

ABSTRACT

Background: Children treated for cancer are at risk for long-term neurocognitive late effects that can impact school attainment, employment, and quality of life. Obtaining formal education support can be critical to later success but may depend upon parent knowledge and ability to access needed support. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a scale to measure the perceived support that parents received upon their child's return to school during or after cancer treatment. Methods: Exploratory factor analyses evaluated the construct validity of survey items. Cronbach's alpha was used to test the internal consistency and independent t-tests evaluated the concurrent criterion validity of resulting subscales. Results: The exploratory factor analyses resulted in two subscales, Barriers to Supportive School Integration (13 items) and Parent School Integration Knowledge (three items). All items loaded at least 0.49 onto each factor, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.927 and 0.738, respectively. The Knowledge subscale additionally demonstrated concurrent criterion validity; higher Knowledge subscale scores were found among parents who reported receiving information about treatment-related cognitive/school problems from healthcare providers (p < .001). Discussion: The Parent School Integration Knowledge and Barriers to Supportive School Integration subscales demonstrated preliminary evidence for good construct validity and internal consistency. These subscales may be used in future research to assess parent knowledge, barriers to receiving support, and overall experience of supportive school integration after the diagnosis of pediatric cancer.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Quality of Life , Humans , Child , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Reproducibility of Results , Parents/psychology , Schools
11.
Child Neuropsychol ; 29(8): 1388-1397, 2023 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36729076

ABSTRACT

The reliability of teleneuropsychology (teleNP) within pediatric populations, particularly those with low intellectual functioning (LIF; i.e., Intellectual Quotient <80), is largely unknown. This repeated-measures study compared performance on WISC-V and WAIS-IV subtests administered in-person before the COVID-19 pandemic and via teleNP during the pandemic in individuals with LIF versus broadly average (BA) intellectual functioning in a clinically referred pediatric cohort. Data were collected from a retrospective chart review of 35 pediatric patients who underwent in-person neuropsychological evaluation at an academic medical center before the pandemic (Mage = 10.10 years, SD = 2.93) and videoconference teleNP assessment during the pandemic (Mage = 13.47 years, SD = 2.88). Participants completed the Similarities, Matrix Reasoning, and Digit Span subtests from the WISC-V or WAIS-IV at both time points. After controlling for test-retest time interval, partial correlations showed relatively strong associations in test-retest performance across subtests in the whole sample and among the subset of LIF patients. Distribution of significant reliable change indices (RCI) between the LIF and BA groups were similar. Strong correlations were observed between performances on select Wechsler subtests administered in-person and via teleNP. Results lend initial support toward the utility of teleNP administration of these measures in children with a broad range of intellectual functioning.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , Child , Adolescent , Pandemics , Retrospective Studies , Reproducibility of Results , Wechsler Scales , Neuropsychological Tests
12.
Pediatr Blood Cancer ; 70(3): e30167, 2023 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36625401

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Processing speed (PS) is a vulnerable cognitive skill in pediatric cancer survivors as a consequence of treatments and, less consistently, tumor region. Studies conventionally examine graphomotor PS; emerging research suggests other aspects of PS may be impacted. This study examined types of PS in pediatric brain tumor survivors to determine which aspects are impaired. Given discordance across studies, we additionally investigated the relationship between brain region and PS. METHODS: The sample consisted of 167 pediatric brain tumor patients (100 supratentorial). PS (oral naming, semantic fluency, phonemic fluency, motor speed, graphomotor speed, visual scanning) was gathered via clinical neuropsychological assessment. To examine PS by region, infratentorial and supratentorial groups were matched on age at diagnosis and neuropsychological assessment, and time since diagnosis. RESULTS: The whole sample performed below normative means on measures of oral naming (p < .001), phonemic fluency (p < .001), motor speed (p = .03), visual scanning (p < .001), and graphomotor speed (p < .001). Only oral naming differed by region (p = .03), with infratentorial tumors associated with slower performance. After controlling for known medical and demographic risk factors, brain region remained a significant predictor of performance (p = .04). Among the whole sample, greater than expected proportions of patients with impairment (i.e., >1 standard deviation below the normative mean) were seen across all PS measures. Infratentorial tumors had higher rates of impairments across all PS measures except phonemic fluency. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate pediatric brain tumor survivors demonstrate weaknesses in multiple aspects of PS, suggesting impairments are not secondary to peripheral motor slowing alone. Additionally, tumor region may predict some but not all neuropsychological outcomes in this population.


Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms , Infratentorial Neoplasms , Humans , Child , Processing Speed , Brain Neoplasms/complications , Neuropsychological Tests , Survivors
13.
J Pediatr Hematol Oncol ; 45(3): e350-e355, 2023 04 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36219703

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Childhood brain tumor (BT) survivors are at risk for working memory (WM) and processing speed (PS) deficits, which impact other cognitive domains. This study aimed to characterize WM, PS, and untimed mathematics calculation performance in pediatric BT survivors at least 2 years post-diagnosis, identify medical factors associated with deficits in mathematics, and examine whether WM and/or PS predict mathematics performance in this clinical sample. METHODS: Retrospective data were gathered from 72 BT survivors between 7 and 21 years of age ( M =13.64 y, SD =4.01 y) for a clinical neuropsychologic evaluation. All participants completed Wechsler measures of WM and PS and a measure of untimed mathematics calculation. RESULTS: WM, PS, and the mathematics calculation were significantly lower than the normative mean. Math scores were not correlated with any of the examined medical factors. PS was negatively correlated with the Neurological Predictor Scale and positively correlated with age at diagnosis. Both WM and PS were associated with math outcomes and accounted for 30.4% and 19.2% of the variance, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that WM and PS contribute to mathematics performance in pediatric BT survivors. Examining mathematics performance should be a part of clinical neuropsychological evaluations. Interventions to improve mathematics performance in this population should also focus on WM and compensatory strategies for slowed PS.


Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms , Memory, Short-Term , Child , Humans , Processing Speed , Retrospective Studies , Mathematics , Survivors , Brain Neoplasms/complications , Brain Neoplasms/psychology , Neuropsychological Tests
14.
J Atten Disord ; 27(2): 159-168, 2023 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36239415

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth became widely utilized for healthcare, including psychological evaluations. However, whether telehealth has reduced or exacerbated healthcare disparities for children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) remains unclear. METHODS: Data (race, ethnicity, age, insurance type, ADHD presentation, comorbidities, and distance to clinic) for youth with ADHD (Mage = 10.97, SDage = 3.42; 63.71% male; 51.62% White) were extracted from the medical record at an urban academic medical center. Three naturally occurring groups were compared: those evaluated in person prior to COVID-19 (n =780), in person during COVID-19 (n = 839), and via telehealth during COVID-19 (n = 638). RESULTS: Children seen via telehealth were significantly more likely to be older, White, have fewer comorbid conditions, and live farther from the clinic than those seen in person. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests that telehealth has not eliminated barriers to care for disadvantaged populations. Providers and institutions must take action to encourage telehealth use among these groups.


Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , COVID-19 , Telemedicine , Child , Adolescent , Male , Humans , Child, Preschool , Female , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/diagnosis , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/epidemiology , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/therapy , Pandemics , Healthcare Disparities
15.
J Atten Disord ; 27(2): 152-158, 2023 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36239432

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study examined test score equivalency between traditional in-person assessment and teletesting among youth diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). METHOD: In all, 896 youth with ADHD, ages 5-21 years, were administered cognitive, academic achievement, and verbal fluency measures via either teletesting (n = 448) or traditional in-person assessment (n = 448). The teletesting and in-person groups were matched on age, sex, and insurance type (as a proxy for income). RESULTS: Results indicated no significant differences in test scores obtained via in-person and teletesting evaluations across all examined measures. CONCLUSION: Clinically referred youth with ADHD perform similarly on measures of cognitive functioning, academic achievement, and verbal fluency, regardless of whether these measures are administered in-person or via teletesting. While additional evidence for equivalent psychometric properties of neuropsychological instruments administered remotely is needed, this study offers support for the validity of remote administration among youth with ADHD.


Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Cognition Disorders , Adolescent , Humans , Child, Preschool , Child , Young Adult , Adult , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/diagnosis , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology , Educational Status , Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Cognition , Neuropsychological Tests
16.
Pediatr Blood Cancer ; 70(1): e30072, 2023 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36326122

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Neurocognitive deficits are common among children who receive central nervous system (CNS)-directed therapy for childhood cancer. Parents report that they lack information from and communication with oncology providers about neurocognitive impacts of therapy. Furthermore, oncology providers report they lack training and institutional support to appropriately address the neurocognitive needs of these patients/families. METHODS: A parent/provider stakeholder informed, quality improvement (QI) project was conducted to educate providers about neurocognitive impacts, increase parent/provider communication, and improve adherence to supportive care guidelines for neuropsychological assessment for children receiving CNS-directed therapy. A 1-h Continuing Medical Education (CME) course was developed to educate providers about neurocognitive impacts and their relation to schooling. A provider-focused electronic medical record (EMR) strategy was used to deliver parent stakeholder-informed return-to-school "roadmaps," with prompts to scaffold parent/provider communication and enhance documentation of findings. RESULTS: Hospital-based CME sessions were attended by 76% (41 out of 54) of providers from our institution. Among the 34 who completed both pretest and posttest, the mean knowledge score improved from 56% at pretest to 74% at posttest. Compliance with the EMR strategy was 80% and there was a 42% increase in neuropsychological assessment referrals. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that this QI project is an example of a successful parent/provider stakeholder collaboration that achieved demonstrable positive change in the areas of provider knowledge, patient/provider communication, and alignment of neuropsychological assessment referrals with existing guidelines. Our results confirm that improving knowledge, communication, and compliance with neuropsychological standards of care is possible with this evidence-based approach.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Quality Improvement , Child , Humans , Communication , Medical Oncology , Parents/psychology
17.
J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol ; 12(4): 577-583, 2023 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36306525

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Adolescents and young adults with cancer have lower college attendance and graduation rates than their peers, but the reasons for this and extent to which cancer impacts college is unknown. This study explores post-high school experiences of young adults with cancer, detailing impacts of diagnosis and treatment on higher education attainment. Materials and Methods: A convergent mixed-methods design disseminated nationally obtained data regarding post-high school transition experiences in adults diagnosed with cancer before age 25. Results: Participants (n = 47) indicated struggles with employment and education; 81% attended some college, but 44% have not completed their degree, citing logistic challenges and lasting effects of therapy as major barriers. Nearly 20% of participants reported that cancer made higher education too difficult, so they did not attend, and most of these individuals (66.6%) are unemployed. Qualitative findings detail that accessing appropriate accommodations was made difficult by a lack of understanding from college faculty and staff. Conclusion: For many, cancer presents a barrier to higher education attainment; changing course of studies, repeating classes, and switching majors may impact degree completion. A minority of students with cancer access educational supports or get assistance obtaining these resources from their medical or high school team. Changes to clinical practice to ensure supports for young adults transitioning from high school have the potential to create improved pathways to higher education success. Additionally, supporting college faculty and staff understanding of cancer and its late effects may be a low-cost, high-impact way to improve adolescent/young adult college success.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Schools , Humans , Young Adult , Adolescent , Adult , Educational Status , Universities , Students , Neoplasms/therapy
18.
Clin Neuropsychol ; 37(6): 1221-1238, 2023 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35819170

ABSTRACT

Objective: While considerable inquiry is currently underway into the comparability of psychological test results obtained in onsite/in-person settings versus telemedicine settings, there has been less attention given to the comparability of the impact/outcome of the assessment process across settings. The current quality improvement study conceptualized impact/outcome according to the model of Austin et al. and sought to determine whether the prior finding of increased parent self-efficacy following onsite neuropsychological assessment was also observed when psychological and neuropsychological assessment was conducted via a telemedicine modality. Method: In the course of standard care delivery, ratings from Austin et al.'s four parent self-efficacy items were obtained at time 1 prior to patients' assessment visits and then again at time 2 either (1) following their last assessment/feedback visit (the Complete Assessment group; n = 157) or (2) in the middle of the assessment process prior to the last planned visit (the Incomplete Assessment group; n = 117). Results: Analyses revealed significant findings for time and time × group. Parent self-efficacy ratings improved over time in both groups, with significantly higher ratings in the Complete Assessment group at time 2. When compared to reference means from the in-person/onsite Austin et al. study, ratings from the current study found comparable improvement in parent self-efficacy achieved via telemedicine assessment in the Complete Assessment group. Conclusions: These data support the use of telemedicine based psychological and neuropsychological evaluation and provide preliminary evidence that the impact/outcome is comparable with in-person/onsite assessment.


Subject(s)
Self Efficacy , Telemedicine , Humans , Child , Neuropsychological Tests , Telemedicine/methods , Parents
19.
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry ; 62(6): 629-645, 2023 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36007816

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was 2-fold: (1) to evaluate current knowledge and identify key directions in the study of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT); and (2) to arrive at a consensus change in terminology for the construct that reflects the current science and may be more acceptable to researchers, clinicians, caregivers, and patients. METHOD: An international Work Group was convened that, in early 2021, compiled an online archive of all research studies on SCT and summarized the current state of knowledge, noted methodological issues, and highlighted future directions, and met virtually on 10 occasions in 2021 to discuss these topics and terminology. RESULTS: Major progress has been made over the last decade in advancing our understanding of SCT across the following domains of inquiry: construct measurement and stability; genetic, environmental, pathophysiologic, and neuropsychological correlates; comorbid conditions; functional impairments; and psychosocial and medication interventions. Findings across these domains are summarized, and potential avenues to pursue in the next generation of SCT-related research are proposed. Following repeated discussions on terminology, the Work Group selected "cognitive disengagement syndrome" (CDS) to replace "SCT" as the name for this construct. This term was deemed to best satisfy considerations that should apply when selecting terms for a condition or syndrome, as it does not overlap with established terms for other constructs, is not offensive, and reflects the current state of the science. CONCLUSION: It is evident that CDS (SCT) has reached the threshold of recognition as a distinct syndrome. Much work remains to further clarify its nature (eg, transdiagnostic factor, separate disorder, diagnostic specifier), etiologies, demographic factors, relations to other psychopathologies, and linkages to specific domains of functional impairment. Investigators are needed with interests and expertise spanning basic, clinical, and translational research to advance our understanding and to improve the lives of individuals with this unique syndrome.


Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Sluggish Cognitive Tempo , Humans , Consensus , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology , Psychopathology , Cognition
20.
J Cancer Surviv ; 2022 Nov 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36318444

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aims to understand parents' experiences of school integration support for their child's transition to K-12 schooling during or after cancer treatment. METHODS: This integrative literature review used PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Embase databases and included articles from January 2000 to July 2022 describing parent experiences with support from healthcare providers, school faculty/systems, and school integration programs. This review was guided by an adapted School Re-Entry Model and used constant comparison to identify common themes and guide synthesis. The Johns Hopkins Evidence and Quality Guide was used to appraise article quality and level of evidence. RESULTS: Thirty-five articles were included in the final review: seventeen qualitative, fourteen quantitative, and four mixed or multi-method designs. Parents reported experiences receiving support from healthcare providers, school faculty/systems, school integration programs, and "other" sources. Parents reported both facilitators and barriers to communication, knowledge, and the process of receiving school integration support. CONCLUSIONS: Parents found neuro/psychologists highly supportive but reported limited support from other healthcare providers. Most parents reported mixed experiences with school faculty and reported many barriers to school system support. Parents reported positive experiences with school integration programs; however, limited programs were available. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Future programs and research should focus on addressing identified barriers and facilitators of school integration support. Further work is also needed to understand a wider range of parent experiences during school integration.

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