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Identifying cognitive profiles in children with neurodevelopmental disorders using online cognitive testing
Abagail Hennessy1, Emily S Nichols1,2, Sarah Al-Saoud1
1Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, Western University, Canada.
Insights
Early cognitive screening for children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is crucial. Specific cognitive tasks can help differentiate these conditions and improve academic outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), often present with shared attention and memory deficits.
- Early identification of cognitive impairments in preschool-aged children with NDDs is vital for enhancing cognitive and academic development.
- Understanding distinct cognitive profiles in ASD and ADHD is essential for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop accessible online cognitive tests with audiovisual instructions for assessing children with ASD and ADHD.
- To determine the cognitive profiles of children diagnosed with ADHD, ASD, and typically developing (TD) children.
- To identify specific cognitive tasks that effectively discriminate between ADHD, ASD, and TD groups.
Main Methods:
- An online battery of 13 cognitive tests was administered to children aged 4-16.
- Participants included children diagnosed with ADHD (n=83), ASD (n=37), and typically developing children (TD) (n=86).
- Stepwise Discriminant Analysis was employed to identify key discriminating cognitive tasks.
Main Results:
- Four cognitive tasks related to working memory, reasoning, and attention successfully classified 53-60% of participants within each group.
- Children with ADHD showed lower performance on attentional tasks compared to TD children.
- Children with ASD exhibited lower scores on reasoning tasks and made more attempts across tasks compared to TD children.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive screening assessments should incorporate domain-specific measures to accurately characterize executive function deficits in NDDs.
- Differentiated cognitive profiles were observed between ADHD and ASD groups, highlighting the need for tailored approaches.
- Improved characterization of cognitive deficits can promote better academic achievement in children with NDDs.
Abstract:
Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to exhibit similar deficits in attention and memory ability. Early screening of cognitive deficits in children with NDDs, particularly in preschool children, is fundamental to improving cognitive and academic outcomes. In order to determine cognitive profiles in children with ASD and ADHD, we developed accessible audiovisual instructions for an online battery of 13 cognitive tests. Children ages 4-16 who were diagnosed with ADHD (n = 83), or ASD (n = 37), or who were typically developing children (TD) (n = 86) were recruited. Data were analyzed using a stepwise Discriminant Analysis to determine which cognitive tasks were the strongest discriminators between the diagnostic groups. Results revealed four tasks reflective of working memory, reasoning, and attentional processes, which correctly classified approximately 53-60% of each group. The ADHD group had lower scores on attentional tasks compared to TD, while ASD group had lower scores on reasoning tasks compared to the TD children, and made more attempts across all four tasks. The results from this study stress the need for cognitive screening assessments that include domain-specific items to improve the characterization of executive function deficits and promote academic achievement in all children with NDDs.
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