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Published on: September 27, 2020
Executive functions and processing speed in children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities and
Hilde Schuiringa1, Maroesjka van Nieuwenhuijzen2, Bram Orobio de Castro1
1a Department of Developmental Psychology , Utrecht University , The Netherlands.
Children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities and externalizing behaviors show impaired working memory. This finding suggests working memory may be a key target for interventions in this population.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Externalizing behavior problems are linked to executive function (EF) deficits in children with average intelligence.
- Children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities (MBID) have a higher risk of externalizing behaviors.
- The relationship between EFs and externalizing behaviors in children with MBID is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate executive functions (inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory) and processing speed in children with MBID.
- To compare EF performance between children with MBID and externalizing behaviors versus those with MBID without externalizing behaviors.
- To determine if impaired EFs are associated with externalizing behavior problems in children with MBID.
Main Methods:
- Assessed inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory using a computerized test battery.
- Measured processing speed in children with MBID.
- Compared performance between a group with MBID and externalizing behaviors (n=71) and a control group with MBID (n=70).
Main Results:
- Children with MBID and externalizing behaviors exhibited significantly more impaired working memory, even after controlling for IQ.
- Inhibition and processing speed showed some differences, but these were less consistent across tasks.
- No significant differences in cognitive flexibility were found between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Working memory deficits are specifically associated with externalizing behavior problems in children with MBID.
- These findings suggest working memory enhancement could be a valuable therapeutic target for children with MBID and externalizing behaviors.
- Further research is needed to explore the nuances of EF profiles in this population.
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