Initial Validation of the Weekly Calendar Planning Activity With Adolescents With ABI

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Acquired brain injuries (ABI) can significantly impact cognitive functions in adolescents.
• Assessing functional cognition in this population is crucial for effective rehabilitation and support.
• Existing assessment tools may not fully capture the complexities of cognitive deficits post-ABI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity of the Weekly Calendar Planning Activity Middle/High School (WCPA) in adolescents with ABI.
• To determine if the WCPA can differentiate between neurotypical adolescents and those with varying degrees of ABI.
• To establish the WCPA's utility as a performance-based measure of functional cognition.

Main Methods:

• Recruited neurotypical controls (n=27) and adolescents with ABI (n=14).
• Administered a 90-minute battery of cognitive tests, including the WCPA.
• Utilized Mann-Whitney U tests to compare performance between groups (controls, mild ABI, severe ABI).

Main Results:

• Significant differences were observed in WCPA total completion time and rules followed between groups.
• Adolescents with severe ABI showed significant differences compared to controls in time spent, errors, rules followed, strategies used, and accurate appointments.
• Moderate correlations (ρ = .31-.45) were found between WCPA performance and standard neuropsychological tests.

Conclusions:

• The WCPA is a valid performance-based assessment for functional cognition in adolescents.
• The WCPA effectively detects cognitive deficits in adolescents with severe ABI.
• This tool can aid in the clinical assessment and management of adolescents with ABI.