Cognitive Functioning of Children in Out-of-Home Care.

PURPOSE: Most children who enter out-of-home care (OHC) have been subjected to prolonged maltreatment. Maltreatment potentially contributes to a cumulative deficit in neurocognitive maturation and development that is likely to proceed with the child's placement into OHC and persist throughout adulthood. From the theoretical perspective of how maltreatment may affect the developing brain, this study examines the IQ and executive function of children placed in OHC on standardized, norm-referenced measures. Furthermore, the study investigates the prevalence of serious cognitive delays, defined by scores in the clinical range on the administered instruments. METHODS: The study included 153 children in foster care (66% female), aged 6-15 (M = 10.5, SD = 2.1). Independent two-sample t-tests were run to test for significant differences between the sample and the norm population on the applied neuropsychological measures. RESULTS: The results showed that discrepancies in cognitive development were global in scope, with the children lagging significantly behind the norm population on all applied measures with discrepancies ranging from 0.61 to 2.10 SD (p < .001). Also, serious developmental delays in all cognitive domains were vastly overrepresented in the sample ranging from 11.3% (IQ) to 66.0% (executive function). CONCLUSIONS: The results document a very high prevalence of cognitive deficits and delays among the children in the sample. The implications of identifying the neurocognitive effects of maltreatment in the practices of the child welfare system are discussed in terms of developing suitable assessment and intervention strategies.

Visual Function and Neuropsychological Profiling of Idiopathic Infantile Nystagmus.

Though considered a benign condition, idiopathic infantile nystagmus (IIN) may be associated with decreased visual acuity and oculo-motor abnormalities, resulting in developmental delays and poor academic performance. Nevertheless, the specific visual function profile of IIN and its possible impact on neuropsychological development have been poorly investigated. To fill this gap, we retrospectively collected the clinical data of 60 children presenting with IIN over a 10-year period (43 male; mean age of 7 years, range of 2 months-17 years, 9 months). The majority of the subjects in our cohort presented with reduced visual acuity for far distances and normal visual acuity for near distances, associated with oculo-motor abnormalities. The overall scores of cognitive and visual-cognitive tests were in the normal range, but revealed peculiar cognitive and visual-cognitive profiles, defined by specific frailties in processing speed and visual-motor integration. The same neuropsychological profiles characterize many neurodevelopmental disorders and may express a transnosographic vulnerability of the dorsal stream. As the first study to explore the neuropsychologic competencies in children with IIN, our study unveils the presence of subclinical frailties that need to be addressed to sustain academic and social inclusion.

Functional hearing loss and developmental imbalances.

OBJECTIVE: Functional hearing loss (FHL) is a disorder in which there are abnormal values on a hearing test, despite the absence of organic abnormalities in the peripheral and central auditory pathways. Here, we examined the developmental characteristics of FHL and the importance of intervention by analyzing the clinical characteristics of children with this disorder. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 16 patients assessed under a diagnosis of FHL. After interventions such as psychological counseling by our pediatrics and psychiatry departments, we compared the clinical profiles of patients in which hearing was "improved/normalized" and "unimproved". RESULTS: Fourteen patients visited a pediatrician and two chose not to do so. A discrepancy between the maximum and minimum values of the four index scores was observed in all patients in which WISC-IV (the fourth version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) was performed (n = 12). The discrepancy between the verbal comprehension index (VCI) and perceptual reasoning index (PRI) was significantly greater in "unimproved" patients than in "improved/normalized" patients. Hearing improved, or was normalized, after intervention in six of 16 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Developmental imbalances were suspected in all 12 children who visited a pediatrician and completed the WISC-IV. Cooperation with pediatricians, psychiatrists, and other health professionals is desirable in supporting patients diagnosed with FHL.

Cross-sectional evaluation of the association between greenness and cognitive performance in Mexican pre-pubertal boys.

BACKGROUND: Evidence shows that greenspace exposure benefits children's health and cognitive development. However, evidence assessing this association in young children in low- and middle-income economies is scarce. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between exposure to greenness and cognitive performance in pre-pubertal boys living in Mexico City. METHODS: Cross-sectional study using data from 144 boys aged 6-11 years living in Mexico City in 2017 and enrolled in the "MetCog" study. Cognitive performance was evaluated through selected Wechsler Scale for Intelligence in Children Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and Neuropsychological Assessment of Children (Evaluación Neuropsicológica Infantil, ENI) tests. Exposure to greenness was assessed through Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) at 300, 500, 1500, 2000, and 3000 m buffer zones from children's residences. Multiple linear regression analysis was undertaken to assess associations between cognitive performance and greenness (aß) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and adjusted for potential confounding variables. Significance was set at q < 0.05 after False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction. RESULTS: A positive association was found between the NDVI Interquartile Range (IQR) at 2000 m and the WISC-IV block design test score (aß 2000 = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.31, 2.06; q < 0.05), which assesses perceptual reasoning. Positive associations were found with NDVI IQR at 1500 m and WISC-IV block design (aß1500 = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.14, 1.86) and matrix reasoning (aß1500 = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.06, 1.61) scores, but neither survived FDR correction. No significant associations were found between NDVI IQR at any buffer size with other WISC-IV and ENI task scores. CONCLUSIONS: Greater exposure to greenness was associated with higher perceptual reasoning skills in 144 pre-pubertal boys living in Mexico City. Thus, urban planning should consider increasing vegetation in megacities, especially in neighbourhoods with high percentages of young children.

Association of the Comprehensive Attention Test and the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition in Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the Comprehensive Attention Test, Korean-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Rating Scale-IV scores in children and adolescents with ADHD. Methods: Fifty-five children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD and not taking psychiatric medications were included in this retrospective study. A correlation analysis was performed. Results: Although simple visual and auditory selective attention have diagnostic value in traditional continuous performance tests, this study revealed that inhibition-sustained attention and interference-selective attention are also effective in evaluating ADHD. Furthermore, the correlation between the attention and intelligence test scores varied depending on the use of visual or auditory stimuli. Conclusion: The findings of this study contribute to clarifying our understanding of the cognitive characteristics of children and adolescents with ADHD and can be used in future research.

WISC-IV intellectual profiles in Italian children with self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the intellectual profile based on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition (WISC-IV) in children with self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS), with an attempt to define possible predictive epilepsy-related variables of cognitive performance. METHODS: The WISC-IV was assessed in 161 children with SeLECTS and their cognitive profiles were compared to a matched sample of healthy control children. RESULTS: Children with SeLECTS performed within normal range across all indices, demonstrating particular strength based on the Perceptual Reasoning Index. Compared to healthy control children, we observed a significant difference in performance based on the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient, Verbal Comprehension Index and Processing Speed Index. Regarding epilepsy-related variables, earlier onset of epilepsy, use of anti-seizure medications, the presence of neurodevelopmental disorders, a higher frequency of seizures, and a longer treatment duration were associated with an overall lower level of performance. SIGNIFICANCE: Children with SeLECTS performed within the average range for cognitive assessment based on the WISC-IV, demonstrating that children had normal levels of global intelligence. However, compared to healthy control children, children with SeLECTS showed a slightly lower level of performance. Reasoning skills represented the relative strengths in children with SeLECTS. Predictors of intellectual performance in patients with SeLECTS include epilepsy-related variables and neurodevelopmental comorbidities.

Timing of Ketogenic Dietary Therapy (KDT) Introduction and Its Impact on Cognitive Profiles in Children with Glut1-DS-A Preliminary Study.

The aim of this research was to characterize cognitive abilities in patients with Glut1-Deficiency syndrome (Glut1DS) following ketogenic diet therapy (KDT). METHODS: The cognitive profiles of eight children were assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC-IV). The effect of ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) on individual subareas of intelligence was analyzed considering the potential influence of speech motor impairments. RESULTS: Patients with Glut1DS showed a wide range of cognitive performance levels. Some participants showed statistically and clinically significant discrepancies between individual subdomains of intelligence. Both variables, KDT initiation as well as duration, had a positive effect on the overall IQ score. Significant correlations were partially found between the time of KDT initiation and the level of IQ scores, depending on the presence of expressive language test demands of the respective subtests of the WISC-IV. Accordingly, the participants benefited les in the linguistic cognitive domain. The discrepancies in cognitive performance profiles of patients with Glut1DS can be attributed to the possibility of a negative distortion of the results due to the influence of speech motor impairments. CONCLUSIONS: The individual access skills of test persons should be more strongly considered in test procedures for the assessment of intelligence to reduce the negative influence of motor deficits on test performance. Specific characterization and systematization of the speech disorder are indispensable for determining the severity of speech motor impairment in Glut1DS. Therefore, a stronger focus on dysarthria during diagnosis and therapy is necessary.

Evaluación del desempeño cognitivo en escolares y adolescentes con diabetes mellitus tipo 1 / Evaluation of cognitive performance in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Resumen El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar el funcionamiento cognitivo de niños y adolescentes con diabetes mellitus tipo 1 (DM1) de la consulta de Endocrinología del IAHULA, y compararlo al de niños no diabéticos, así como investigar la posible influencia de factores relacionados con la enfermedad sobre la cognición. Se realizó un estudio observacional analítico, transversal, que incluyó un grupo de 30 pacientes con DM1 de 8 a 16 años de edad (16 varones) y un grupo control de 30 individuos pareados por edad, género, escolaridad y condición socioeconómica. Se realizó interrogatorio y revisión de historias clínicas para obtener datos sobre las características clínicas y el tratamiento de la DM1. Se les aplicó el test WISC IV para evaluar cognición y cociente intelectual (CI). La edad promedio de los pacientes fue de 13,27 ± 2,31 años, la mitad de ellos masculinos. Se encontraron puntajes menores en los distintos dominios del WISC IV en el grupo con DM1 al compararlos con los del grupo control (p<0,01). El CI fue menor en los niños con DM1 que en los controles (75,47 ± 13,87 frente a 88,57±11,06; p=0,0001); así mismo, se observó con mayor frecuencia un puntaje del CI inferior al percentil 10 en los pacientes con DM1 en comparación con los controles (63,3% frente a 33,3%; p=0,02; Odds ratio: 3,45; IC95%: 1,19-9,99). Se concluyó que la DM1 impacta negativamente el desempeño cognitivo de niños y adolescentes. Se recomienda la evaluación cognitiva de estos pacientes, ya que podría repercutir en su vida diaria.

Abstract The study aimed to evaluate the cognitive functioning of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) recruited from the IAHULA Endocrinology Outpatient Unit and to compare it to that of non-diabetics as to investigate the influence on cognition of factors related to the disease. An analytical, cross-sectional observational study was carried out on a group of 30 patients with T1DM between 8 and 16 years of age and on a control group of 30 individuals matched by age, gender, education, and socioeconomic status. Interrogation and review of medical records to obtain data on the clinical characteristics and treatment of T1DM were conducted. The WISC IV test was then applied to evaluate cognition and intellectual coefficient (IQ). The average age of the diabetic patients was 13.27±2.31 years, and half of them were male. Lower scores were found in the different domains of the WISC IV in the group with T1DM (p<0.01). The IQ was found to be lower in children with T1DM than in controls (75.47±13.87 vs. 88.57±11.06; p=0.0001). Likewise, a higher frequency of IQ scores below the 10th percentile was observed in the diabetic children (63.3% vs. 33.3%; p=0.02; Odds ratio: 3.45; 95%CI: 1.19-9.99). It was concluded that T1DM negatively impacts the cognitive performance of children and adolescents. Cognitive evaluation of these patients is recommended, as it could affect their daily life.

Is WISC-IV Working Memory Index associated with ADHD symptoms in 7-8-year-olds?

The Working Memory Index (WMI) in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) has been suggested to be associated with ADHD symptoms. The relationship between WMI and ADHD symptoms in the general population is not clear. The study aimed to examine the association between working memory (WM) and behavioral regulation (BR), and hyperactivity/inattention (HI) in a general population sample of 7-8-year-olds, and whether general intellectual functioning is associated with BR and HI. The study also examined if those with low WMI also fulfill elevated ADHD criteria. The study group (N = 865) was assessed with the WISC (Fourth edition), the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Five to Fifteen Questionnaire, and divided into three groups based on WM function, and in relation to BR and/or HI problems. The associations between WM and BR, and WM and HI, including intellectual functioning as covariate, were examined. WM deficits were found in 22%, but the majority of those had no BR or HI problems. Four percent in the study group had WM deficits combined with BR and/or HI problems, and in about one third of those inattentive ADHD criteria were fulfilled. WM and prosocial behavior were associated with BR and HI. WM deficits measured with WISC WMI in 7-8-year-olds do not always signal BR and/or HI problems.

Are Dietary Patterns Related to Cognitive Performance in 7-Year-Old Children? Evidence from a Birth Cohort in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy.

Research from different sources supports a link between nutrition and neurodevelopment, but evidence is still sparse regarding the relationship between a posteriori dietary patterns (DPs) and cognitive performance in school-aged children. Within the Northern Adriatic Cohort II, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, 379 7-year-old children were cross-sectionally evaluated. Dietary patterns were identified through a principal component factor analysis based on 37 nutrients from children's 3-day dietary records. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale of Children (WISC-IV) test provided measures of cognitive performance, including the full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) and single index scores. Each DP was related to FSIQ or single index scores through multiple robust linear regression models. We identified five DPs named "Dairy Products", "Plant-based Foods", "Fats", "Meat and Potatoes", and "Seafood" (63% of variance explained). After adjustment, no significant relationship was observed with the FSIQ score; positive associations were found between the "Seafood" DP and Verbal Comprehension Index or Perceptual Reasoning Index. The "Meat and Potatoes" and "Dairy Products" DPs were inversely associated with the Verbal Comprehension Index and Processing Speed Index scores, respectively. In the absence of a relation with the overall FSIQ score, single DPs might influence specific cognitive functions, including verbal and reasoning abilities, as targeted by single indexes, in the expected direction.

Early clinical signs and treatment of Menkes disease.

Menkes disease (MD) is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by mutations in ATP7A. Patients with MD exhibit severe neurological and connective tissue disorders due to copper deficiency and typically die before 3 years of age. Early treatment with copper injections during the neonatal period, before the occurrence of neurological symptoms, can alleviate neurological disturbances to some degree. We investigated whether early symptoms can help in the early diagnosis of MD. Abnormal hair growth, prolonged jaundice, and feeding difficulties were observed during the neonatal period in 20 of 69, 16 of 67, and 3 of 18 patients, respectively. Only three patients visited a physician during the neonatal period; MD diagnosis was not made at that point. The mean age at diagnosis was 8.7 months. Seven patients, who were diagnosed in the prenatal stage or soon after birth, as they had a family history of MD, received early treatment. No diagnosis was made based on early symptoms, highlighting the difficulty in diagnosing MD based on symptoms observed during the neonatal period. Patients who received early treatment lived longer than their elderly relatives with MD. Three patients could walk and did not have seizures. Therefore, effective newborn screening for MD should be prioritized.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder of All Ages, Levels of Symptom Severity and General Cognitive Ability Display Low Processing Speed Index Scores Warranting Special Educational Assistance.

The processing speed index (PSI) of the Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WISC-IV) has been found to predict a child's level of academic functioning. The consistently reported PSI weakness in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) therefore warrants special assistance and attempts at compensation for the disadvantages associated with these children's low PSI. We investigated the association of PSI scores with age, general cognitive ability [as measured by full-scale IQ (FSIQ)], symptom severity and discrepancy between the WISC-IV indices verbal comprehension (VCI) and perceptual reasoning (PRI) in 101 school children with ASD. The PSI weakness in children with ASD was not related to age, FSIQ, VCI-PRI discrepancy or any of the symptom measures. These findings suggest that school children with ASD independent of their age, level of cognitive ability, VCI-PRI profile and most notably independent of their symptom severity should be entitled to special assistance and compensation in educational settings.

The diagnostic utility of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) in identification of gifted children.

Accurate assessment and early identification of gifted children is of great importance in terms of providing them with educational programs tailored for their abilities in specific areas. Individually administered intelligence tests are widely used to identify gifted children, and an above-average level of intellectual capacity is generally accepted as the main criterion for giftedness. This study aimed to investigate the utility of the Turkish version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) to distinguish gifted children from non-gifted children. For this purpose, 201 gifted children and 201 non-gifted children were included in the study. To be able to determine the predictive power of the WISC-IV index and subtest scores, logistic regression analyses were performed. Results indicated that the Perceptual Reasoning Index, Working Memory Index, and Processing Speed Index ​​scores (except Verbal Comprehension Index score), and all subtest scores significantly predicted giftedness. Furthermore, correct classification rates among gifted children were 93% for index scores and 97% for subtest scores. The findings of this study suggest that intelligence scores obtained from the WISC-IV have a diagnostic utility and provide valid and reliable results in identifying gifted children.

Implicancias sobre la Adaptación de la Escala de Inteligencia para Niños de Wechsler IV (WISC-IV) en Argentina. Corrección de WISC-IV según diferentes baremos argentinos / Implications on the Adaptation of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV (WISC-IV) in Argentina. Comparison of the WISC-IV Standardized Data from two Argentine Regions

Resumen La utilización de pruebas psicológicas validadas y de confiabilidad comprobadas aportan evidencias valiosas al profesional en una multiplicidad de actividades, que comprenden desde el diagnóstico, el plan y el seguimiento de tratamiento hasta la selección laboral, la orientación vocacional, las pericias judiciales e investigación; sin embargo, no siempre se disponen de baremos adaptados a la región en la que se pretende aplicar un instrumento y, en ocasiones, siquiera corresponden a datos normativos del país. En Argentina, la WISC-IV fue adaptada considerando población perteneciente al Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, no se incluye muestra de otras regiones del extenso país. Por lo tanto, se realizó una investigación cuantitativa no experimental, exploratoria- descriptiva, con el objetivo de determinar la importancia de contar con baremos adaptados de la WISC-IV para diferentes regiones de un mismo país; para ello, se analizaron comparativamente los índices obtenidos por 520 escolares de 6 a 14 años (agrupados según los rangos de edad 6-8, 9-11 y 12-14) al aplicar dos baremos argentinos (Buenos Aires y Resistencia) para su corrección mediante un análisis de ANOVA mixto. Los resultados evidenciaron diferencias significativas según el baremo sea de Buenos Aires o de Resistencia, en 4 de los 5 índices de la WISC-IV, al abarcar tanto en aspectos relacionados con el funcionamiento cognitivo general (i.e., CIT), como en campos más específicos (i.e., memoria de trabajo - IMO, velocidad de procesamiento - IVP y razonamiento perceptivo - IRP); además, se observaron diferencias entre baremos en CIT, ICV, IRP e IMO y sugerir comportamientos diferentes en los distintos índices según el tipo de baremo aplicado en los diferentes grupos de edad. Los resultados sugieren que la corrección de la escala a un/a estudiante, según las normativas establecidas para una región con características sociodemográficas distintas a la que pertenece el individuo, podría derivar en errores interpretativos de sus aptitudes cognitivas, por lo que se determina la importancia de contar con adaptaciones de las pruebas psicológicas para arribar a interpretaciones que eviten infra o sobrevalorar sus puntuaciones.

Abstract: The use of validated psychological tests provides valuable evidence to specialists in a multiplicity of activities (e.g., predicting diagnoses, guiding treatment and follow-up plans, guiding the job selection process and vocational orientation, determining disability levels for medico-legal purposes). However, a psychological instrument is not generally adapted and standardized in the country in which it is intended to be applied. In Argentina, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) was standardized in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area; but did not include samples from other regions across the vast country. This situation is problematic, because Argentina presents disparities in its socio-demographic characteristics across the territory, and an accurate interpre- tation of intelligence test performance, depends on the use of appropriately standardized data. Hence, a quantitative non-experimental, exploratory-descriptive study was conducted to determine the importance of obtaining locally standardized data for WISC-IV. To this end, the indices obtained from 520 children and adolescents aged 6 to 14 years (grouped according to age ranges 6-8, 9-11 and 12-14) were comparatively analyzed, by analyzing two Argentine adaptations (Buenos Aires and Resistencia). Results revealed differences between normative data from the country's different regions in four indices, which included both aspects of general cognitive functioning (i.e., CIT) and more specific processes (i.e., working memory - IMO, processing speed - IVP, and perceptual reasoning - IRP). These results suggest that the assessment of students, according to non-locally established standardized data, could lead to interpretative errors regarding their cognitive abilities. Thus, the study contributes to knowledge about the importance of using contextually appropriate standardized data in the implementation of intelligence tests, to arrive at evaluations that avoid over- or under- estimating students' abilities.

Long-term cognitive outcomes of prematurely born infants: A longitudinal follow-up of Denver II, Bayley III and WISC-IV Tests.

BACKGROUND: Prematurity constitutes a risk factor for developmental delay in infancy and childhood. This study aims to: (i) determine long-term cognitive outcomes in prematurely delivered children and compare them with term-delivered children using the WISC-IV and Stroop tests; (ii) examine the relation between Denver II, Bayley III and WISC-IV, Stroop tests. METHODS: The study group consisted of children born prematurely who had been tested with Denver II and Bayley III in their first 2 years, and had been evaluated with WISC-IV and Stroop tests under follow up, 6-10 years later. RESULTS: The study group (n = 60, 25 F, 35 M) was 8.0 ± 2.4 (6-10.7) years old when given WISC-IV and Stroop tests. Gestational age in the study group was 34-37 weeks in 25%, 30-33 weeks in 48.3%, and <29 weeks in 26.7%. On WISC-IV, the verbal comprehension index, perceptual reasoning index, working memory index, and full-scale IQ scores were lower in the study group than the control group (P < 0.05). The study group took longer to complete the Stroop test (P < 0.05). Lower socioeconomic status (P = 0.005) and parental education level (P = 0.000) were associated with lower verbal comprehension index scores. Denver II and Bayley III test results were related to WISC-IV results (P < 0.05) but not to the Stroop test results (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed prematurity negatively influences the results of WISC-IV and Stroop tests at school age. Denver II and Bayley III tests applied at age 2 years likely predict WISC-IV results.

Cognitive profiles of extremely preterm children: Full-Scale IQ hides strengths and weaknesses.

AIM: To study whether a specific cognitive profile can be identified for children born extremely preterm (EPT) by investigating: 1) strengths and weaknesses not revealed by Full-Scale IQ, 2) overlap between different cognitive deficits and 3) proportion of EPT children with multiple deficits. METHODS: We analysed data from the 4th version of Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children in EPT children (n = 359) and matched controls (n = 367), collected within the 6.5-year follow-up of a population-based prospective cohort study. RESULTS: Extremely preterm children performed worse than controls on all measures. Group differences were the largest in Perceptual Reasoning (PRI) and Working Memory (WMI), but differences between indices were small. However, when conducting categorical analyses, deficits in PRI and/or WMI were not more common than other combinations. Many EPT children had no or mild cognitive deficits, although often in multiple domains. CONCLUSION: Extremely preterm children had greater weaknesses in working memory and perceptual abilities. However, detailed analyses of cognitive subscales showed large heterogeneity and provided no support for a specific cognitive profile. In conclusion, Full-Scale IQ scores hide strengths and weaknesses and individual profiles for EPT children need to be considered in order to provide appropriate support.

Risk factors associated with cognitive impairment in patients after pediatric liver transplantation.

Data on cognitive function after pLT are rare, particularly regarding children with cognitive impairment. From 2016 to 2018, we evaluated cognitive function in 36 patients after pLT aged 6-17 years with the WISC IV (at least 1 year after transplantation) and analyzed potential risk factors for cognitive impairment (IQ < 70) by means of retrospective medical data (peri-, intra-, and post-operative factors, and donor and specific organ data of the primary liver transplant) on an exploratory base. At a median age of 9.6 years (range = 6-16.9), 22% of patients were cognitive impaired (IQ < 70; including five untestable patients with severe cognitive impairment). Children tested with the WISC IV scored within the lower normal range but differed significantly from normal population. Strongest associations showed infections at pLT, development of severe sepsis requiring intensive care within the first 6 months after pLT, neurological complications within the first 10 days and the occurrence of CPR during or after pLT, and as early laboratory variables pH value on day 0 after pLT. In our analysis, neither intraoperative factors nor donor-specific factors seemed to influence cognitive outcome. In our small cohort, medical complications before and after pLT but not transplantation itself had an influence on cognitive outcome. As such, children experiencing medical problems before and in the early post-operative phase after pLT should be closely evaluated in larger samples regarding their neurological and psychomotor development during vulnerable phases and should receive early educational support to improve long-term cognitive function.

Comparative analysis of the WISC-IV in a clinical setting: ADHD vs. non-ADHD.

BACKGROUND: The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4th edition (WISC-IV) is a useful tool for revealing differences in cognitive ability. Using the WISC-IV, the study investigated the intelligence profile of Turkish children diagnosed with ADHD and compared their profile with that of a non-ADHD clinical sample. METHOD: On the basis of the records of 257 drug-naïve patients (6-12years of age), ADHD (n=154) and non-ADHD (n=103) clinical groups were compared with respect to sociodemographic variables and WISC-IV scores. RESULTS: The non-ADHD clinical group had higher full scale, index, and subtest scores, except for their scores in the Comprehension subtest. The scores on Working Memory, Processing Speed Indices, Similarities, and Matrix Reasoning subtests were especially lower in the ADHD group than in the non-ADHD group. The Similarities, Matrix Reasoning, and Digit Span subtests classified 83% of the children as having ADHD and identified 43.7% of the non-ADHD clinical controls. CONCLUSION: In our study, we found differences in the WISC-IV profiles of the Turkish patients with ADHD. Moreover, the WISC-IV profile of the non-ADHD clinical group was different than that of the ADHD group. More prospective studies with larger groups of ADHD patients and further evaluations of executive function deficits can help clinicians better understand the differences in WISC-IV profiles.

Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the Turkish Version of the WISC-IV in Non-clinical Sample: Validation of the Wechsler and CHC Models with Core and Supplemental Subtests.

Objective: In this study, the validities of the 4-factor structure and the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory-based models of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) were investigated by confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in a Turkish non-clinical sample (n= 793). Methods: Several models were examined and compared using CFA. Results: Results revealed that both the 4-factor structure and the CHC-based 5 factor model were supported. However, both Wechsler and CHC bifactor models did not provide the best explanation of WISC-IV's factor structure. Across all models, while the common variance was mostly explained by general intelligence, it was least explained by the group factor in the CHC bifactor model. Conclusion: Consequently, the factor structure of the WISC-IV Turkish is more suitable for higher-order (indirect hierarchical) models than bifactor models. In addition to the Wechsler 4-factor model, the WISC-IV also measured crystallized ability (Gc), visual processing (Gv), fluid reasoning (Gf), working memory capacity (Gwm), and processing speed (Gs). In particular, either separating Gf and Gv or combining them as the Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) provided a meaningful explanation. The Arithmetic subtest had significant cross-loadings. For children in Turkey, this subtest appears a reflection of Gwm and Gc in both Wechsler and the CHC higher-order models.

Detection of Executive Performance Profiles Using the ENFEN Battery in Children Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. People who have this disorder are characterized by presenting difficulties in the processes of sustained attention, being very active, and having poor control of their impulses. Despite the high prevalence of this disorder and the existence of various tests used for its diagnosis, few data are available regarding the usefulness and diagnostic validity of these tools. Given the difficulties that these subjects present in executive functions, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether the Neuropsychological Assessment of Executive Functions battery for Children (ENFEN, for its acronym in Spanish, Portellano et al., 2009) allows to establish specific profiles of executive performance for people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The sample was made up of 197 participants of both sexes, aged between 6 and 12 years age (134 with a clinical diagnosis and 63 without pathology). A nonexperimental design was followed, using a comparative descriptive study method. The results indicated that the scales of phonological fluency, color path, rings, and interference are the most associated with the diagnosis of ADHD, providing data on inhibition, mental flexibility, sustained and selective attention, planning, verbal fluency, and working memory, among others. The practical implication of these results is in line with providing support in the clinical diagnosis that is carried out in children's mental health units. In addition, the ENFEN tool can be valued as a suitable psychometric instrument in the psychoeducational field, helping professionals in a school environment to be more aware of the areas of cognitive development in which a student diagnosed with ADHD will have more difficulties and, in doing so, providing more adjusted and effective psychopedagogical measures when it comes to supporting students in their adaptation to the school environment.