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Parent-Reported Social Skills in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Longitudinal Patterns and Relations with

Danielle M Glad1, Christina L Casnar2, Brianna D Yund3

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|October 7, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Social skills challenges in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) begin in early childhood and persist into school age. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms negatively impact social skills, while cognitive function does not show a significant relationship.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Social skills difficulties are frequently observed in school-aged children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
  • Limited research exists on the early emergence and longitudinal development of social skills in young children with NF1.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the onset of social skills challenges in early childhood NF1.
  • To examine the longitudinal progression of social skills into school age.
  • To explore the relationship between social skills, ADHD symptomatology, and cognitive functioning in NF1.

Main Methods:

  • Study involved three samples of children with NF1: early childhood (ages 3-6), school age (ages 9-13), and a combined group.
  • Parent-reported measures assessed social skills, ADHD symptoms, and cognitive abilities.
  • Longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses were conducted.

Main Results:

  • Social skills difficulties are apparent in early childhood and remain relatively stable.
  • Early childhood social skills ratings predict school-age social skills.
  • ADHD symptomatology, particularly inattentive symptoms, negatively correlated with social skills.
  • Cognitive functioning did not show a significant association with social skills.

Conclusions:

  • Social skills deficits are present from early childhood in NF1 and persist.
  • This study highlights the stability of social skills challenges across development in NF1.
  • Further research into interventions for social skills support in NF1 is warranted.
Abstract

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