INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 10 Program Schedule 02/17/2024 09:00 am - 10:15 am Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 10: Neurodevelopmental \| Congenital Conditions Final Abstract #25 Multi-method Assessment of Executive Functioning among Children with Attention and Learning Challenges Anna Cichocki, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States Laura Nicholson, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, United States Alexandra Kirsch, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, United States Category: Executive Functions/Frontal Lobes Keyword 1: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Keyword 2: learning disabilities Keyword 3: pediatric neuropsychology Objective: Children with Learning Disorders (LD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often demonstrate deficits in executive functioning. Some research suggests that children with comorbid LD and ADHD have more pronounced challenges in executive functioning compared to those with either LD or ADHD alone. Little research has investigated executive functioning across measures among children with LD, ADHD, and comorbid LD and ADHD. The present study uses a variety of measures to comprehensively assess executive functioning with differing demands on reading and cognitive abilities. Participants and Methods: This clinical sample consisted of 360 children referred for neuropsychological testing (ages 8-18). Based on clinician diagnoses, children were grouped by diagnosis: no LD or ADHD diagnosis (no LD/ADHD), LD only, ADHD only, and comorbid LD and ADHD (LD+ADHD). Informant ratings (i.e., BRIEF-2 parent, BRIEF-2 teacher) and performance-based measures (i.e., D-KEFS; Color-Word Interference, Tower, Verbal Fluency, and Trail Making Tests) were used to capture various aspects of executive functioning. A series of one-way ANOVAs were performed to compare differences across executive functioning measures by diagnosis group, using Tukey’s HSD tests to adjust for multiple comparisons. Results: One-way ANOVA analyses revealed a statistically significant difference across many measures, including BRIEF parent-report, BRIEF teacher-report, DKEFS Color Word Interference Word Reading and Inhibition, DKEFS Verbal Fluency Letter Naming, and DKEFS Trails Letter Sequencing and Letter/Number Sequencing (F’s=3.13-14.62, p’s=<.001 - .028). Analysis of significant Tukey HSD tests revealed BRIEF global executive composite T-score for parent- and teacher-report was significantly higher for the ADHD and LD+ADHD groups as compared to the LD and no LD/ADHD groups. DKEFS Color-Word Interference Word Reading and Verbal Fluency Letter Naming scaled score performances were significantly lower for the LD and LD+ADHD groups when compared to the no LD/ADHD and ADHD groups. DKEFS Color-Word Interference Inhibition, Trail Making Test Letter sequencing and Letter-Number Sequencing performances were significantly lower for the LD+ADHD group when compared to the no LD/ADHD group. Conclusions: Present findings suggest that informant ratings of executive functioning in daily life, across environments are elevated for children with ADHD compared to peers without ADHD, regardless of the presence of a LD. Interestingly, children with ADHD did not show differences on objective measures of executive functioning from other groups, which is inconsistent with the literature. One possibility is that a neuropsychological evaluation offers a distraction-free 1-on-1 environment. Although informant ratings did not differ among children with and without a LD, performances on objective measures of executive functioning were lower for children with a LD compared to those without a LD, regardless of the presence of ADHD, specifically when measures included letters or a word reading component (i.e., DKEFS Color-Word Interference, Verbal Fluency). This may be due to the higher prevalence of reading disorders in the current sample. These findings also highlight the importance of assessing the underlying cognitive demands of executive functioning tasks (e.g., reading ability) and how this may influence performance and interpretation.

Poster

02/17/2024
09:00 am - 10:15 am
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 10: Neurodevelopmental | Congenital Conditions

Final Abstract #25

Multi-method Assessment of Executive Functioning among Children with Attention and Learning Challenges

Anna Cichocki, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
Laura Nicholson, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, United States
Alexandra Kirsch, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, United States

Category: Executive Functions/Frontal Lobes

Keyword 1: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Keyword 2: learning disabilities
Keyword 3: pediatric neuropsychology

Objective:

Children with Learning Disorders (LD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often demonstrate deficits in executive functioning. Some research suggests that children with comorbid LD and ADHD have more pronounced challenges in executive functioning compared to those with either LD or ADHD alone. Little research has investigated executive functioning across measures among children with LD, ADHD, and comorbid LD and ADHD. The present study uses a variety of measures to comprehensively assess executive functioning with differing demands on reading and cognitive abilities.

Participants and Methods:

This clinical sample consisted of 360 children referred for neuropsychological testing (ages 8-18). Based on clinician diagnoses, children were grouped by diagnosis: no LD or ADHD diagnosis (no LD/ADHD), LD only, ADHD only, and comorbid LD and ADHD (LD+ADHD). Informant ratings (i.e., BRIEF-2 parent, BRIEF-2 teacher) and performance-based measures (i.e., D-KEFS; Color-Word Interference, Tower, Verbal Fluency, and Trail Making Tests) were used to capture various aspects of executive functioning. A series of one-way ANOVAs were performed to compare differences across executive functioning measures by diagnosis group, using Tukey’s HSD tests to adjust for multiple comparisons.

Results:

One-way ANOVA analyses revealed a statistically significant difference across many measures, including BRIEF parent-report, BRIEF teacher-report, DKEFS Color Word Interference Word Reading and Inhibition, DKEFS Verbal Fluency Letter Naming, and DKEFS Trails Letter Sequencing and Letter/Number Sequencing (F’s=3.13-14.62, p’s=<.001 - .028). Analysis of significant Tukey HSD tests revealed BRIEF global executive composite T-score for parent- and teacher-report was significantly higher for the ADHD and LD+ADHD groups as compared to the LD and no LD/ADHD groups. DKEFS Color-Word Interference Word Reading and Verbal Fluency Letter Naming scaled score performances were significantly lower for the LD and LD+ADHD groups when compared to the no LD/ADHD and ADHD groups. DKEFS Color-Word Interference Inhibition, Trail Making Test Letter sequencing and Letter-Number Sequencing performances were significantly lower for the LD+ADHD group when compared to the no LD/ADHD group.

Conclusions:

Present findings suggest that informant ratings of executive functioning in daily life, across environments are elevated for children with ADHD compared to peers without ADHD, regardless of the presence of a LD. Interestingly, children with ADHD did not show differences on objective measures of executive functioning from other groups, which is inconsistent with the literature. One possibility is that a neuropsychological evaluation offers a distraction-free 1-on-1 environment. Although informant ratings did not differ among children with and without a LD, performances on objective measures of executive functioning were lower for children with a LD compared to those without a LD, regardless of the presence of ADHD, specifically when measures included letters or a word reading component (i.e., DKEFS Color-Word Interference, Verbal Fluency). This may be due to the higher prevalence of reading disorders in the current sample. These findings also highlight the importance of assessing the underlying cognitive demands of executive functioning tasks (e.g., reading ability) and how this may influence performance and interpretation.