Relationship Between Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV Profiles and School Refusal in Children With Autism...

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Child psychology
• Educational psychology

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence is increasing, often co-occurring with other conditions.
• Children with ASD exhibit higher truancy rates and face learning challenges, including social and cognitive difficulties.
• Previous research indicates a link between ASD and school non-attendance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between cognitive characteristics and school refusal in children diagnosed with ASD.
• To compare cognitive profiles of ASD children attending school versus those refusing school.

Main Methods:

• Study included 56 children (ages 6-16) diagnosed with ASD, divided into school attendance and school refusal groups.
• Cognitive abilities were assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition, focusing on General Ability Index (GAI) and Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI).
• Statistical analysis compared Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) and index scores between the two groups.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in FSIQ, Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI), Working Memory Index (WMI), or Processing Speed Index (PSI) between groups.
• The difference between GAI and CPI scores was significantly greater in the school refusal group (9.48 ± 14.66) compared to the school attendance group (1.16 ± 15.099).
• A larger intra-individual discrepancy between general ability and cognitive proficiency was associated with school refusal in children with ASD.

Conclusions:

• Intra-individual differences in cognitive abilities may play a role in school refusal among autistic children.
• Findings suggest potential for tailored educational support to improve school adaptation and learning efficiency.
• Further research is warranted to explore effective interventions based on cognitive profiles.