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 #31 Difficulties in Shifting Underlie Problems in Math: A Comparison of Informant Rating and Task Performance Faye Domokos, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States Zanned Dantin, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States McKenzie Martin, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States Jennifer Bolden Bush, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States Category: ADHD/Attentional Functions Keyword 1: academic achievement Keyword 2: assessment Keyword 3: executive functions Objective: Executive functioning (EF) is crucial for goal-directed behavior (Miyake et al., 2000). Children with attention difficulties face increased risk of EF deficits, affecting academic success and career prospects (Barkley, 2006). However, extant research is concerned with differences in operationalization and measurement that arise from the use of performance-based assessments and informant ratings. While both caregiver ratings and task performance are crucial for valid diagnosis, there is a surprising lack of correlation between them (Toplak, West, & Stanovich, 2012). Understanding EF's role in academic contexts is vital due to its connection with ADHD and learning disorders (Peng et al., 2018; Agostini et al., 2022; Gerst et al., 2015). This study aims to explore how deficits in one EF ability, shifting (also referred to as cognitive flexibility), relates to mathematical word problem-solving in children with attentional issues. The study predicted that (1) students with attention difficulties will exhibit greater deficits in shifting across both informant ratings and performance on neuropsychological measures, as well as weaker scores in mathematical achievement; (2) shifting performance would uniquely contribute to variance in math achievement over and beyond age, sex, IQ, inattention, and caregiver ratings. Participants and Methods: A clinic sample of children between the ages of 7 and 12 years (n = 37; M_age = 9.67; 76% male) was recruited via flyers and website postings or referred by community resources. Participants completed a comprehensive psychoeducational testing battery. Math Concepts & Application from the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, 3^rd Edition (KTEA-3; Kaufman & Kaufman, 2014) measured math achievement. Shifting performance was measured via the Berg Card Sorting Test (BCST; Psychology Experimental Building Language http://pebl.sourceforge.net/). Caregiver ratings from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 2014) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions, 2^nd edition (BRIEF-2; Gioia et al., 2015) gauged attention problems and shifting, respectively. The Verbal Comprehension Composite (VCI) from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4^th/5^th editions (WISC-IV/WISC-V; Wechsler, 2003; Wechsler, 2014) served as a proxy for intelligence to control for overlap between constructs. After obtaining descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations assessed the relations between variables, and linear regression was utilized to examine the effects of shifting on math ability after controlling for age, sex, and IQ. Results: Bivariate correlations revealed mathematic achievement was significantly associated with shifting performance, but not caregiver ratings of shifting. Caregiver ratings of shifting were positively correlated with attention ratings. Linear regression revealed that shifting performance explained 21% of variance in math achievement scores over and beyond age, sex, and IQ. Conclusions: The study compared the utility of performance-based measures and caregiver ratings of shifting in predicting children’s math ability. Neuropsychological test performance, and not informant ratings, was associated with math achievement. While informant ratings offer ecological insights into problematic behavior, it is critical for researchers and clinicians to utilize a wide array of instruments to measure EF. Furthermore, interventions aimed at cognitive processes may help to foster improvements in academic performance, especially with mathematical problem-solving rooted in real-world applications.

Poster

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

Poster Session 10: Neurodevelopmental | Congenital Conditions

Final Abstract #31

Difficulties in Shifting Underlie Problems in Math: A Comparison of Informant Rating and Task Performance

Faye Domokos, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States
Zanned Dantin, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States
McKenzie Martin, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States
Jennifer Bolden Bush, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States

Category: ADHD/Attentional Functions

Keyword 1: academic achievement
Keyword 2: assessment
Keyword 3: executive functions

Objective:

Executive functioning (EF) is crucial for goal-directed behavior (Miyake et al., 2000). Children with attention difficulties face increased risk of EF deficits, affecting academic success and career prospects (Barkley, 2006). However, extant research is concerned with differences in operationalization and measurement that arise from the use of performance-based assessments and informant ratings. While both caregiver ratings and task performance are crucial for valid diagnosis, there is a surprising lack of correlation between them (Toplak, West, & Stanovich, 2012). Understanding EF's role in academic contexts is vital due to its connection with ADHD and learning disorders (Peng et al., 2018; Agostini et al., 2022; Gerst et al., 2015). This study aims to explore how deficits in one EF ability, shifting (also referred to as cognitive flexibility), relates to mathematical word problem-solving in children with attentional issues. The study predicted that (1) students with attention difficulties will exhibit greater deficits in shifting across both informant ratings and performance on neuropsychological measures, as well as weaker scores in mathematical achievement; (2) shifting performance would uniquely contribute to variance in math achievement over and beyond age, sex, IQ, inattention, and caregiver ratings.

Participants and Methods:

A clinic sample of children between the ages of 7 and 12 years (n = 37; M_age = 9.67; 76% male) was recruited via flyers and website postings or referred by community resources. Participants completed a comprehensive psychoeducational testing battery. Math Concepts & Application from the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, 3^rd Edition (KTEA-3; Kaufman & Kaufman, 2014) measured math achievement. Shifting performance was measured via the Berg Card Sorting Test (BCST; Psychology Experimental Building Language http://pebl.sourceforge.net/). Caregiver ratings from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 2014) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions, 2^nd edition (BRIEF-2; Gioia et al., 2015) gauged attention problems and shifting, respectively. The Verbal Comprehension Composite (VCI) from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4^th/5^th editions (WISC-IV/WISC-V; Wechsler, 2003; Wechsler, 2014) served as a proxy for intelligence to control for overlap between constructs. After obtaining descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations assessed the relations between variables, and linear regression was utilized to examine the effects of shifting on math ability after controlling for age, sex, and IQ.

Results:

Bivariate correlations revealed mathematic achievement was significantly associated with shifting performance, but not caregiver ratings of shifting. Caregiver ratings of shifting were positively correlated with attention ratings. Linear regression revealed that shifting performance explained 21% of variance in math achievement scores over and beyond age, sex, and IQ.

Conclusions:

The study compared the utility of performance-based measures and caregiver ratings of shifting in predicting children’s math ability. Neuropsychological test performance, and not informant ratings, was associated with math achievement. While informant ratings offer ecological insights into problematic behavior, it is critical for researchers and clinicians to utilize a wide array of instruments to measure EF. Furthermore, interventions aimed at cognitive processes may help to foster improvements in academic performance, especially with mathematical problem-solving rooted in real-world applications.