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Developing methods for assessing neurotoxic effects in Hispanic non-English speaking children
Diane S Rohlman1, Todd Bodner, Thomas A Arcury
1Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology, CROET, L606, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA. rohlmand@ohsu.edu
Insights
Environmental toxins pose risks to child development. A new neurobehavioral test battery effectively measures cognitive and motor skills in Hispanic children, showing reliable results sensitive to age and gender differences.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Neurodevelopmental Toxicology
- Pediatric Psychology
Background:
- Children are uniquely vulnerable to environmental toxicants due to developmental factors and higher exposure ratios.
- Minority populations may face disproportionately higher risks from environmental exposures.
- Accurate assessment methods are crucial for evaluating environmental impacts on child neurodevelopment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a neurobehavioral test battery for assessing cognitive and motor performance in non-English speaking Hispanic children.
- To examine the associations between age, gender, and maternal education with neurobehavioral performance.
- To present test-retest reliability of the developed assessment battery.
Main Methods:
- A battery of computerized tests (Behavioral Assessment and Research System, Pediatric Environmental Neurobehavioral Test Battery, Object Memory Test) was administered twice to 241 Hispanic children (ages 4-9).
- Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the influence of age, gender, and maternal education on performance.
- Test-retest correlations were calculated to determine reliability.
Main Results:
- Neurobehavioral performance generally improved with age across most tests.
- Gender differences were observed, with females often showing lower performance than males.
- Test-retest correlation coefficients ranged from 0.51 to 0.88, indicating good reliability.
Conclusions:
- The developed neurobehavioral test battery is a useful tool for assessing cognitive and motor functions in non-English speaking Hispanic children.
- The battery's measures are sensitive to age-related changes and demonstrate good reliability, supporting its use in research.
- This assessment approach can be applied in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of environmental exposures and child development.
Abstract:
Many factors affect the growth and development of children, including chemicals in the environment. Children have greater exposure to toxicants than adults due to both behavior and their increased food: body-mass ratio. Furthermore, the developing brain and organ systems of infants and children and their immature metabolism also make them more vulnerable to environmental toxins. Children from all cultures and backgrounds are at risk. However, minorities may be at greatest risk. In order to evaluate the impact of environmental exposures on neurodevelopment it is necessary to have effective methods that will allow accurate conclusions to be drawn. We have developed a battery to assess neurobehavioral performance in non-English speaking Hispanic children ages 4 years and older. This paper will examine the associations between age and performance and present test-retest correlations. Two hundred and forty one Hispanic children between the ages of 4 and 9 years completed a neurobehavioral test battery twice, approximately 1 month apart. The battery consists of computerized tests from the Behavioral Assessment and Research System, tests selected from the Pediatric Environmental Neurobehavioral Test Battery, and the Object Memory Test. Multiple regression was used to examine the association between age, gender and mother's education on performance. All of the tests, except for Continuous Performance, showed that performance improved as the child gets older. Gender differences were found on several tests with females generally performing worse than males. Correlation coefficients on performance retest measures ranged from .51 to .88. This study has demonstrated the utility of using this test battery to assess cognitive and motor performance in non-English speaking Hispanic children. Tests in the battery assess a range of functions and the measures are sensitive to differences in ages. Test-retest correlations show the reliability of the battery. These support the use of this battery in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.
