INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 11 Program Schedule 02/17/2024 10:45 am - 12:00 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 11: Cultural Neuropsychology \| Education/Training \| Professional Practice Issues Final Abstract #59 The Intersection Between Depression and Executive Function on Spanish Speakers Rey-Osterrith Complex Figure Performance Isabel Muñoz, CSU Northridge, Northridge, United States Walter Daniel Lopez Hernandez, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, United States Category: Executive Functions/Frontal Lobes Keyword 1: executive functions Keyword 2: depression Keyword 3: multiculturalism Objective: The Rey-Osterrith Complex Figure (ROCF) is a neuropsychological assessment in which examinees are inquired to reproduce a complicated line drawing, first by copying it freehand (recognition), and then drawing from memory (recall). Depression is a feeling of sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. Research shows that depression can influence cognitive abilities (e.g., executive function). Executive Function is a set of mental skills (e.g., working memory, inhibition). These abilities are use every day to manage daily life activities. Studies have reported that persons with executive deficits demonstrate worse cognitive abilities (e.g., memory), emotional regulation among other things. We evaluated the relationship between depression and executive function in Spanish speakers ROFC performance. Participants and Methods: Our sample included 93 participants with a mean age of 20.67 (SD = 1.88) and 13.84 (SD = 1.79) total years of education completed. Participants were divided into three executive functioning groups: superior executive functioning (SEF), intact executive functioning (IEF), and deficit executive functioning (DEF). The Stroop Color Word Test – Color-Word task was used to create our executive functioning groups. Participants with a T-score higher than 64 were assigned to the SEF group. Meanwhile, participants with a T-score between 41 and 64 were assigned to the IEF group. Finally, participants with a T-score less than 41 were assigned to the DEF group. All the participants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery in Spanish which included the ROFC task. The ROFC task was used to evaluate visual perception abilities (copy recognition) and memory (long-delayed recall). Depression was assessed in Spanish via the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A series of ANOVAs were conducted to evaluate the effect of executive functioning abilities on ROFC copy recognition and long-delayed recall performance. Tukey post hoc analysis were used to determine significant differences between our executive functioning groups ROFC tasks and depression. Pearson correlations were performed to evaluate associations of depression, executive functioning, and ROFC performances. All participants passed performance validity testing. Results: We found the IEF group outperformed the DEF group on the ROFC copy recognition and long-delayed recall tasks, p’s < .05, η_p’s² = .07-.11. Additionally, we found the DEF group reported higher levels of depression compared to the IEF group, p = .002, η_p² = .13. Pearson correlations revealed significant correlations between the SEF group depression and ROFC long-delayed task performance, r = -.63, p = .006. Meanwhile, depression significantly correlated between DEF group depression and ROFC copy recognition, r = .61, p = .013. Conclusions: As expected, the DEF group underperformed on ROFC tasks and reported higher depression compared to the IEF group. Our data suggest that depression and executive deficits are related to visual perception. Future studies with a bigger sample should examine depression in monolingual and bilingual speakers with and without executive function deficits. The results of the present study also highlight the influence of depression on persons with superior executive functioning abilities on memory.

Poster

02/17/2024
10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 11: Cultural Neuropsychology | Education/Training | Professional Practice Issues

Final Abstract #59

The Intersection Between Depression and Executive Function on Spanish Speakers Rey-Osterrith Complex Figure Performance

Isabel Muñoz, CSU Northridge, Northridge, United States
Walter Daniel Lopez Hernandez, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, United States

Category: Executive Functions/Frontal Lobes

Keyword 1: executive functions
Keyword 2: depression
Keyword 3: multiculturalism

Objective:

The Rey-Osterrith Complex Figure (ROCF) is a neuropsychological assessment in which examinees are inquired to reproduce a complicated line drawing, first by copying it freehand (recognition), and then drawing from memory (recall). Depression is a feeling of sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. Research shows that depression can influence cognitive abilities (e.g., executive function). Executive Function is a set of mental skills (e.g., working memory, inhibition). These abilities are use every day to manage daily life activities. Studies have reported that persons with executive deficits demonstrate worse cognitive abilities (e.g., memory), emotional regulation among other things. We evaluated the relationship between depression and executive function in Spanish speakers ROFC performance.

Participants and Methods:

Our sample included 93 participants with a mean age of 20.67 (SD = 1.88) and 13.84 (SD = 1.79) total years of education completed. Participants were divided into three executive functioning groups: superior executive functioning (SEF), intact executive functioning (IEF), and deficit executive functioning (DEF). The Stroop Color Word Test – Color-Word task was used to create our executive functioning groups. Participants with a T-score higher than 64 were assigned to the SEF group. Meanwhile, participants with a T-score between 41 and 64 were assigned to the IEF group. Finally, participants with a T-score less than 41 were assigned to the DEF group. All the participants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery in Spanish which included the ROFC task. The ROFC task was used to evaluate visual perception abilities (copy recognition) and memory (long-delayed recall). Depression was assessed in Spanish via the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A series of ANOVAs were conducted to evaluate the effect of executive functioning abilities on ROFC copy recognition and long-delayed recall performance. Tukey post hoc analysis were used to determine significant differences between our executive functioning groups ROFC tasks and depression. Pearson correlations were performed to evaluate associations of depression, executive functioning, and ROFC performances. All participants passed performance validity testing.

Results:

We found the IEF group outperformed the DEF group on the ROFC copy recognition and long-delayed recall tasks, p’s < .05, η_p’s² = .07-.11. Additionally, we found the DEF group reported higher levels of depression compared to the IEF group, p = .002, η_p² = .13. Pearson correlations revealed significant correlations between the SEF group depression and ROFC long-delayed task performance, r = -.63, p = .006. Meanwhile, depression significantly correlated between DEF group depression and ROFC copy recognition, r = .61, p = .013.

Conclusions:

As expected, the DEF group underperformed on ROFC tasks and reported higher depression compared to the IEF group. Our data suggest that depression and executive deficits are related to visual perception. Future studies with a bigger sample should examine depression in monolingual and bilingual speakers with and without executive function deficits. The results of the present study also highlight the influence of depression on persons with superior executive functioning abilities on memory.