Article

Similarities and Differences in Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Third Edition (WISC-III) Profiles: Support for Subtest Analysis in Clinical Referrals

January 2005
The Clinical Neuropsychologist 18(4):559-72

January 2005
18(4):559-72

DOI:10.1080/13854040490888530

Source
PubMed

Authors:

Susan L. Calhoun

Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine

Our study supports the reliability and validity of profile analysis in children with neurobiological disorders. Three mutually exclusive WISC-III profiles were identified that characterized the majority of children with autism (low coding or Freedom from Distractibility Index with low Comprehension), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disability (low Coding or FDI without low comprehension), and brain injury (low Performance without low Coding or FDI). The profiles suggest attention, writing, and performance speed deficits in autism, ADHD, and LD; global visual-motor problems in brain injury; and specific difficulty with language comprehension and social reasoning in autism. Children with anxiety, depression, and behavior disorders did not exhibit distinct profiles. Our profile analysis is based on the simple rank ordering of standard scores. The profiles are clinically useful because they may alert clinicians to certain diagnostic possibilities, they reveal characteristic strengths and weaknesses that have implications for educational intervention, and they are consistent with preliminary WISC-IV data.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition Profiles of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using a Classification and Regression Trees Analysis

Article

Jun 2021

The Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC) are the most widely used instrument in assessing cognitive ability, especially with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous literature on the WISC has demonstrated a divergent pattern of performance on the WISC for children ASD compared to their typically developing peers; however, there is a lack of research concerning the most recent iteration, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V). Due to the distinctive changes made to the WISC-V, we sought to identify the pattern of performance of children with ASD on the WISC-V using a classification and regression (CART) analysis. The current study used the standardization sample data of the WISC-V obtained from NCS Pearson, Inc. Sixty-two children diagnosed with ASD, along with their demographically matched controls, comprised the sample. Results revealed the Comprehension and Letter-Number Sequencing subtests were the most important factors in predicting group membership for children with ASD with an accompanying language impairment. Children with ASD without an accompanying language impairment, however, were difficult to distinguish from matched controls through the CART analysis. Results suggest school psychologists and other clinicians should administer all primary and supplemental subtests of the WISC-V as part of a comprehensive assessment of ASD.

Comparison of intellectual profiles among children with different types of neurodevelopmental disorders and typically developing children

Article

Full-text available

May 2020

In the present study, the performance of primary school children with neurodevelopmental disorders (dys-lexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD) was compared to that of typically developing children (TD) on the Greek Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 3rd edition (WISC-III). A total of 104 children (85 boys) from the 2nd Center for Differential Diagnosis, Diagnosis and Support in Thessaloniki (26 for each of the three clinical groups and the typically developing group, matched in age) participated in the study. According to the results, children with ADHD demonstrated poorer performance than the children of the other two clinical groups and the TD children on most of the WISC-III subtests (with the exception of the Block Design subtest). On the other hand, the dyslexia and dysgraphia groups did not differ from each other, and on most subtests, they also did not differ from the TD group (with the exception of the Similarities subtest which was lower in the dys-lexia than in the TD group). The Verbal Scale and the Full Scale indices were lower among children with ADHD and those with dyslexia than the TD children; the Performance Scale index was lower only in children with ADHD when compared to TD children. In conclusion, attention deficits that characterize ADHD appear to affect a broad range of intellectual functions.

Trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad: perfil intelectual y factor de independencia a la distracción

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2007
REV NEUROLOGIA

WISC-III Cognitive Profiles in Children with ADHD: Specific Cognitive Impairments and Diagnostic Utility

Article

Feb 2019

This study aimed to investigate the presence of speciﬁc cognitive impairments and the diagnostic utility of the WISC-III in children with ADHD. Ninety-eight children with ADHD and 81 children without ADHD matched by age and gender (control group), between the ages of 6 and 12 years, participated in the study. Children with ADHD revealed the most pronounced deficits in the subtests tapping working memory and processing speed. Freedom from Distractibility was the cognitive profile most impaired and that showed the highest diagnostic accuracy to discriminate children with ADHD. The optimal cut-off scores of the most common WISC-III cognitive profiles revealed greater diagnostic accuracy than the traditional approach of full or partial profiles. Taken together, these results suggested that in the context of a comprehensive psychological assessment, the WISC may provide knowledge about the specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses that characterize this disorder and may be useful in the decision-making process relative to ADHD diagnosis.

Neurocognitive and adaptive phenotypes in adolescent inpatients with mood disorders: an exploratory study on disruptive mood dysregulation disorder in the framework of depressive disorders

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2023

Introduction Few studies on adolescents have investigated intelligence quotient (IQ) in mood disorders. Evidence on Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), a controversial entity among depressive disorders, is more limited. Materials and methods We performed an exploratory study on adolescent inpatients with unipolar mood disorders to test specific impairment in cognitive and adaptive profile. We also considered common psychopathological comorbidities. We retrospectively collected data on inpatients with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD), DMDD or Depressive Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (DD-NOS) evaluated with Wechsler Scales of Intelligence, Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS-II), and Children’s Global Assessment Scale (C-GAS). Results Out of 198 inpatients (85.9% females), 33.3% had MDD, 60.1% DD-NOS and 6.6% DMDD. DMDD patients had higher rates of ADHD (15.4%) and learning disorders (LD, 23.1%), a lower mean IQ (87.8 ± 10.7; p = 0.001) and ABAS-II scores (general composite 68.8 ± 16.8; p = 0.002) than other groups. In linear regression analysis, DMDD retained a significant correlation with lower IQ and adaptive abilities when controlling for sex, and comorbidities. Among comorbidities, LD correlated with lower perceptual reasoning and IQ, and ADHD with lower conceptual adaptive abilities. In all diagnosis groups, working memory and processing speed were lower than verbal comprehension and perceptual reasoning. Discussion While impairment in working memory and processing speed is a non-specific correlate of active mood disorder, DMDD is burdened by lower general intelligence and adaptive abilities and higher rate of neurodevelopmental comorbidities. Lower IQ in the normal range is a correlate of DMDD among variables examined, not explained by the effect of neurodevelopmental comorbidities. These findings are discussed with regards to possible implications for the consideration of DMDD as a bridge condition between neurodevelopmental disorders and mood disorders.

Long-term stability of the WISC-Ⅳ in children with autism spectrum disorder

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2021

The present study aimed to investigate the test-retest reliability of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth edition (WISC-IV) in a sample of 138 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from a child psychiatric clinic in Tokyo, Japan. The stability coefficient of the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), which is composed of four indices, was very high at .83, while those of the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI), Working Memory Index (WMI), and Processing Speed Index (PSI) individually were moderate to high, ranging from .62 to .79. Comparisons among three age groups revealed that the coefficients for children aged 5 to 7 years tended to be lower than those for children aged 11 years and older. With respect to relative strengths and weaknesses between index scores, approximately half of children did not exhibit the same trend in the second test. These results revealed that the FSIQ and index scores are stable in the long term in children with ASD aged 11 years and older, and that the PSI and discrepancies in index scores are less stable. Thus, practitioners should take into account ecological information and the test-taking behaviors of children when interpreting WISC-IV results for children with ASD. Abbreviations: ASD: autism spectrum disorder; WISC-IV: wechsler intelligence scale for children – fourth edition; FSIQ: full scale intelligence quotient; VCI: verbal comprehension index; PRI: perceptual reasoning index; WMI: working memory index; PSI: processing speed index

Independent Validation and Clinical Utility Study of the Hellenic WISC-III Using a Greek-Cypriot Sample

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2017

The Hellenic WISC-III (Wechsler, 1997) is currently the only standardized and officially published tool for the assessment of the intelligence of children and adolescents in Greece. The test is also used with caution in Cyprus, among Greek speakers, but no specific norms exist for use in this country. The purpose of this study was to provide evidence of the qualities of the test using an independent Greek-Cypriot sample and to support its utility in the psychological evaluation of Greek speaking children in Cyprus. The participants were 151 public school children aged 9:1 to 15:8 years. Correlations between the subtests of the WISC-III and the Scale IQs and, also, correlations between scores on the WISC-III and achievement measures as well as the educational level of parents provided evidence of convergent - construct validity. Low correlations between scores on the WISC-III and measures of psychopathology supported the instruments divergent - construct validity. Also, an exploratory factor analysis further supported the construct validity of the test. Moreover, the study provided evidence in support of the predictive validity and clinical utility of the test by examining the cognitive profiles on the Hellenic WISC-III of children with learning difficulties and identifying the WISC-III subscale scores that best distinguish them. This evidence is very important for clinicians in Cyprus but, also, further supports the international evidence about the utility of the Wechsler ability scales.

Intellectual Profiles in the Autism Spectrum and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2016
J AUTISM DEV DISORD

The influence of specific autism spectrum disorder (ASD) deficits in Intelligence Quotients (IQ), Indexes and subtests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III was investigated in 445 school-aged children: ASD (N = 224) and other neurodevelopmental disorders (N = 221), matched by Full-Scale IQ and chronological age. ASD have lower scores in the VIQ than PIQ. The core distinctive scores between groups are Processing Speed Index and “Comprehension” and “Coding” subtests with lower results in ASD. ASD group with normal/high IQ showed highest score on “Similarities” subtest whereas the lower IQ group performed better on “Object Assembly”. The results replicated our previous work on adaptive behaviour, showing that adaptive functioning is positively correlated with intellectual profile, especially with the Communication domain in ASD.

Primary maternal cytomegalovirus infections: Accuracy of fetal ultrasound for predicting sequelae in offspring

Article

Jun 2016

Background: Cytomegalovirus infection is the most common perinatal viral infection that can lead to severe long-term medical conditions. Antenatal identification of maternal cytomegalovirus infections with proven fetal transmission and potential postnatal clinical sequelae remains a major challenge in perinatology. There is a need to improve the prenatal counseling offered to patients and guide future clinical management decisions in cases of proven primary cytomegalovirus infection. Objective: We sought to evaluate the accuracy of fetal ultrasound for predicting sequelae in fetuses infected with congenital cytomegalovirus after maternal primary infection. Study design: We conducted a prospective observational study from 1996 through 2012 in pregnant women with serological evidence of primary cytomegalovirus infection and proven vertical transmission to the fetus, based on viral load in the amniotic fluid. Fetal ultrasound was performed in all patients. Pregnancy termination was presented as an option for infected fetuses. Hearing and neurological clinical assessments were performed for all neonates with cytomegalovirus-positive urine samples. Results: A total of 67 patients (69 fetuses) with proven vertical transmission were included in this study, including 64 singleton and 3 twin pregnancies. Eight fetuses were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 61 fetuses, termination of the pregnancy was performed for 26, including 11 with fetal ultrasound anomalies. Autopsy provided histological evidence of fetal cytomegalovirus infection in all cases. In the 15 terminated fetuses without ultrasound anomalies, histological evidence of damage caused by fetal infection was detected in 13 cases. Among the 35 live-born infants, 12 had fetal ultrasound anomalies suggestive of congenital infection. Of these 12 infants, 6 had normal clinical evaluations, whereas 6 presented with either hearing and/or neurological anomalies, classified as severe in 4 cases. Among the 23 live-born infants with normal prenatal ultrasound, 5 developed hearing impairments and 1 showed mild neurological developmental delay. Conclusion: Fetal ultrasound anomalies were detected in 37.7% of pregnant women with primary cytomegalovirus infection acquired in early pregnancy and proven fetal infection, and were confirmed by autopsy or postnatal clinical evaluation in 73.9%. Autopsy or postnatal clinical evaluation also detected cytomegalovirus-related anomalies in 55% of infants with normal fetal ultrasound evaluations.

Article

Aug 2016

Females with high-functioning ASD are known to camouflage their autistic symptoms better than their male counterparts, making them prone to being under-ascertained and delayed in diagnostic assessment. Thus far the underlying cognitive processes that enable such successful socio-communicative adaptation are not well understood. The current results show sex-related differences in the cognitive profile of ASD individuals, which were diagnosed late in life exclusively. Higher verbal abilities were found in males (n = 69) as opposed to higher processing speed and better executive functions in females with ASD (n = 38). Since both sexes remained unidentified during childhood and adolescence, these results are suggestive for sex-distinctive cognitive strategies as an alternative to typically-developed reciprocal social behavior and social mimicry in high functioning ASD.

Prediction of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder based on explainable artificial intelligence

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2024

Accurate assessment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is crucial for the effective treatment of affected individuals. Traditionally, psychometric tests such as the WISC-IV have been utilized to gather evidence and identify patterns or factors contributing to ADHD diagnosis. However, in recent years, the use of machine learning (ML) models in conjunction with post-hoc eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques has improved our ability to make precise predictions and provide transparent explanations. The objective of this study is twofold: firstly, to predict the likelihood of an individual receiving an ADHD diagnosis using ML algorithms, and secondly, to offer interpretable insights into the decision-making process of the ML model. The dataset under scrutiny comprises 694 cases collected over the past decade in Spain, including information on age, gender, and WISC-IV test scores. The outcome variable is the professional diagnosis. Diverse ML algorithms representing various learning styles were rigorously evaluated through a stratified 10-fold cross-validation, with performance assessed using key metrics, including accuracy, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, and specificity. Models were compared using both the full set of initial features and a well-suited wrapper-type feature selection algorithm (Boruta). Following the identification of the most suitable model, Shapley additive values were computed to assign weights to each predictor based on their additive contribution to the outcome and to elucidate the predictions. Strikingly, a reduced set of 8 out of the initial 20 variables produced results comparable to using the full feature set. Among the ML models tested, the Random Forest algorithm outperformed others on most metrics (ACC = 0.90, AUC = 0.94, Sensitivity = 0.91, Specificity = 0.92). Notably, the principal predictors, ranked by importance, included GAI – CPI, WMI, CPI, PSI, VCI, WMI – PSI, PRI, and LN. Individual case examples exhibit variations in predictions depending on unique characteristics, including instances of false positives and negatives. Our ML model adeptly predicted ADHD diagnoses in 90% of cases, with potential for further enhancement by expanding our database. Furthermore, the use of XAI techniques enables the elucidation of salient factors in individual cases, thereby aiding inexperienced professionals in the diagnostic process and facilitating comparison with expert assessments. It is important to note that this tool is designed to support the ADHD diagnostic process, where the medical professional always has the final say in decision-making.

Cognitive Profile in Autism and ADHD: A Meta-Analysis of Performance on the WAIS-IV and WISC-V

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2023
ARCH CLIN NEUROPSYCH

Alexander C. Wilson

Objective Previous research has suggested that neurodevelopmental conditions may be associated with distinctive cognitive profiles on the Wechsler intelligence tests (of which the most recent editions are the WAIS-IV and WISC-V). However, the extent to which a cognitive profile can be reliably identified for individuals meeting criteria for autism or ADHD remains unclear. The present review investigated this issue. Method A search was conducted in PsycInfo, Embase, and Medline in October 2022 for papers reporting the performance of children or adults diagnosed with autism or ADHD on the WAIS-IV or the WISC-V. Test scores were aggregated using meta-analysis. Results Scores were analyzed from over 1,800 neurodivergent people reported across 18 data sources. Autistic children and adults performed in the typical range for verbal and nonverbal reasoning, but scored ~1 SD below the mean for processing speed and had slightly reduced scores on working memory. This provides evidence for a “spiky” cognitive profile in autism. Performance of children and adults with ADHD was mostly at age-expected levels, with slightly reduced scores for working memory. Conclusion Although the pattern of performance on the Wechsler tests is not sufficiently sensitive or specific to use for diagnostic purposes, autism appears to be associated with a cognitive profile of relative strengths in verbal and nonverbal reasoning and a weakness in processing speed. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder appears less associated with a particular cognitive profile. Autistic individuals may especially benefit from a cognitive assessment to identify and support with their strengths and difficulties.

Proposal of a school service model for students with ADHD (SSMS-ADHD) - Proposta de modelo de atendimento escolar a alunos com PHDA (MAEA-PHDA)

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2021

A Perturbação de Hiperatividade/Défice de Atenção (PHDA) é uma condição de natureza neurobiológica que, pela forma como se manifesta em contexto escolar (i.e., ao nível dos problemas académicos, comportamentais e sociais), representa um desafio para todos os agentes educativos que lidam com estes alunos. Este estudo resulta da reflexão sobre os dados de uma investigação que analisou as práticas educativas adotadas com alunos com PHDA (Oliveira, 2016), no qual se identificaram várias lacunas (e.g., pouca articulação e comunicação entre os diferentes intervenientes no processo de avaliação/diagnóstico e as possibilidades de intervenção em contexto escolar; ausência de guidelines que ajudem a planificar as respostas educativas específicas para alunos com PHDA; e inexistência de programas que foquem a colaboração escola-casa). O modelo de atendimento à diversidade (MAD) proposto por Correia (1997) serviu de base à proposta do Modelo de Atendimento Escolar a Alunos com PHDA (MAEA-PHDA) aqui apresentado, que compreende mecanismos de sinalização, avaliação e intervenção escolares especificamente orientados para esses alunos. Com isto, pretende-se dar uma resposta educativa mais eficaz para as crianças/jovens com esta problemática.

Early-childhood cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and children’s neurocognitive development

Article

Dec 2020

Background Despite a clear association seen in congenitally infected children, the effect of postnatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during early childhood on cognitive development has not yet been determined. Methods CMV-infection status was obtained based on serological measurements when children were 7 years old. Using population-based longitudinal data, we employed multivariate Poisson regression with a robust variance estimator to characterize the relationship between childhood CMV infection and adverse neurocognitive outcomes in children. Suboptimal neurocognitive outcomes were compared between CMV-positive and CMV-negative children using various cognitive assessments from 8 to 15 years of age. Children were evaluated on the cognitive domains of language, reading, memory and general intelligence, with a suboptimal score being >2 standard deviations lower than the mean score. Approximate Bayes factor (ABF) analysis was used to determine the level of evidence for the observed associations. Results With adjustment for potential confounders, we observed that early-childhood CMV infection was associated with suboptimal total intelligence quotient (IQ) at 8 years of age [incidence-rate ratio (IRR) = 2.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35–4.62, ABF = 0.08], but not with suboptimal total IQ at 15 years of age (IRR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.43–2.19, ABF = 1.68). Suboptimal attentional control at 8 years (IRR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.13–2.68, ABF = 0.18) and reading comprehension at 9 years (IRR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.12–3.33, ABF = 0.24) were also associated with CMV infection. ABF analysis provided strong evidence for the association between CMV infection and total IQ at 8 years, and only anecdotal evidence for attentional control at 8 years and reading comprehension at 9 years. All other cognitive measures assessed were not associated with CMV infection. Conclusion In this large-scale prospective cohort, we observed some evidence for adverse neurocognitive effects of postnatal CMV infection on general intelligence during early childhood, although not with lasting effect. If confirmed, these results could support the implementation of preventative measures to combat postnatal CMV infection.

APPENDIX: RESULTS OF THE 2018 NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF BASIC COMPETENCES IN HUNGARY -AMONGST 6TH 8TH AND 10TH GRADE PUPILS DIAG- NOSED WITH SEN AND BTM DISORDER

Research

Full-text available

Jun 2020

One of the aims of the study is to present the results of the 2018 National Assessment of Basic Competences, on a group of pupil, with Integration, Learning and Behavioral Disorder (BTM) and a group of Special Educational Need pupils (SEN). The other important goal of the paper is to analyze the prevalence of children with BTM code itemized by counties. The authors first briefly outline the basic concepts, with detailed definitions published in the 2017 article. Detailed definitions can be found in the 2017 study on the subject. Then, in the 2018 sample, the prevalence rates of BTM subgroups are presented by county. The county breakdown has only partially brought the expected results, as there are differences indeed, but these do not show the expected pattern. We discuss this, as well as strategies to reduce lagging behind children diagnosed with BTM and SEN. Our long-term goal is to launch a series of papers based on the theoretical basis of the present study by analyzing BTM country data. The next study of which is the regional presentation of SNI data and then the ADHD data.

A 2018. ÉVI ORSZÁGOS KOMPETENCIAMÉRÉS EREDMÉNYEI MAGYARORSZÁGON - AZ SNI-VEL ÉS BTM-MEL DIAGNOSZTIZÁLT 6., 8., 10. ÉVFOLYAMOS GYERMEKEK KÖRÉBEN

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2020

Levelező szerzők: Kovács Dóra (kovacs.dora@kre.hu), Kövesdi Andrea (kovesdi.andrea@kre.hu) Kivonat: A tanulmány egyik célja a 2018-es Országos kompetenciamérés eredményeinek ismertetése, a beilleszkedési tanulási és magatartás zavaros (BTM) tanulók és a sajátos nevelésű tanulók (SNI) egy csoportjának szempont-jából, másik kiemelten fontos célja pedig a BTM kóddal rendelkező gyerekek előfordulási arányának elemzése megyei bontásban. A szerzők először röviden vázolják az alapfogalmakat, azzal a megjegyzéssel, hogy a rész-letes definíciók a témában 2017-ben keletkezett tanulmányban találhatóak meg. Ezután az előző munkapubli-kálása óta megjelent idevágó közleményeket ismertetik. Ezt követően bemutatják a 2018-as mintában a BTM alcsoportok előfordulásai arányait megyei bontásban. A megyei bontás csak részben hozta a várt eredménye-ket, hiszen valóban vannak különbözőségek, de ezek nem a várt mintázatot mutatják. A diszkusszióban ennek tárgyalása, illetve a BTM-s és SNI-s gyerekek iskolai lemaradásának csökkentést szolgáló stratégiák tárgyalása található. Hosszú távú célunk elindítani egy több írásból álló sorozatot, melynek elméleti alapját jelen tanul-mányban vezettünk fel azzal, hogy elemeztük a BTM-es országos adatokat. A következő írásban az SNI-s adatok, majd az ADHD-s adatok regionális bemutatását tervezzük. A szerzők a tanulmány alapjául szolgáló kutatást az Országos kompetenciamérés kutatócsoport 20642B800 témaszámú, a Károli Gáspár Reformá-tus Egyetem Bölcsészet-és Társadalomtudományi Kara által finanszírozott pályázat keretében végezték. Dol-gozatunk mellékleteként angol nyelven is közöljük tanulmányunkat. Kulcsszavak: sajátos nevelési igény (SNI) ▪ ADHD ▪ diszlexia ▪ beilleszkedési ▪ tanulási és magatartási zavar. Abstract One of the aims of the study is to present the results of the 2018 National Assessment of Basic Competences, on a group of pupil, with Integration, Learning and Behavioral Disorder (BTM) and a group of Special Educational Need pupils (SEN). The other important goal of the paper is to analyze the prevalence of children with BTM code itemized by counties. The authors first briefly outline the basic concepts, with detailed definitions published in the 2017 article. Detailed definitions can be found in the 2017 study on the subject. Then, in 1 Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem, Pszichológiai Intézet, Budapest, 1034, Bécsi út 324.

Discrepancies in Wechsler Adult Intelligent Scale III profile in adult with and without attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2020

Aim The Wechsler Adult Intelligent Scale (WAIS) is the most frequently administered cognitive assessment for adult Attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); therefore, identifying discrepancies in WAIS profile in patients and comparing with matched controls would be clinically and diagnostically beneficial. Methods The WAIS‐III profiles of 50 adults with ADHD were compared to an age‐matched typical development (TD) group. Results The adult ADHD group exhibited significantly lower WAIS‐III working memory (WM) and processing speed (PS) indices. However, these differences disappeared when intelligence quotient (IQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score, or Autism Quotient (AQ) score was included as a covariate. The adult ADHD group also demonstrated significantly lower scores in several WM‐ and PS‐domain subscales, while crystallized abilities were comparatively preserved. Additionally, only a small portion of participants in both groups lacked any significant gaps between WAIS‐III verbal and performance IQ scores (VIQ–PIQ) or associated indices. Discussion This study confirms previous findings that adult ADHD patients have deficits in WM and PS. However, it is highly likely that comorbidities such as depression and autism spectrum disorder contribute to lower WM and PS scores in adult ADHD. Unexpectedly, a “flat profile” is uncommon even in TD adults. Therefore, clinician should assess how WAIS deficits affect daily life rather than merely considering an uneven WAIS profile when diagnosing and treating adult ADHD.

Results of the 2017 National Assessment of Basic Competencies (NABC) –amongst 6th 8th and 10th grade pupils diagnosed with SEN and BTM disorder

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2019

The aim of the study is to present the results of the 2017 National Assessment of Basic Competencies (NABC), in view of pupils with Integration, Learning and Behavioral disorder (BTM) and a group of pupils with Special Educational Need (SEN). The Authors present the groups of BTM and SEN, as well as the short and long term consequences of belonging to these groups. They then present their prevalence rates in the sample and the performance of these children in the National Assessment of Basic Competencies (NABC). The results are presented by age group, gender and school type. It can be seen that the performance of SEN and BTM children may require a more complex analysis, as their relative error (due to lower case numbers) is higher for the students in these categories. The difference between school types is well illustrated, ie, the stronger the learning expectation in the given school type, the greater the backlog of SEN and BTM children.

Undergraduate Students’ Intelligence Profiles According to the Tes Intelligensi Kolektif Indonesia Tinggi (TIKI-T): A Cluster Analysis Based on the Rasch Model Person Ability

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2019

This research aims to identify undergraduate students’ intelligence profiles using a two-stage cluster analysis based on the person’s ability of the Rasch model to examine the effect of the clusters on academic performance. A total of 1443 undergraduate students from nine academic disciplines at Universitas Padjadjaran in Bandung, Indonesia, participated in the study, completing 11 subtests of the Tes Intelligensi Kolektip Indonesia Tinggi (TIKI-T). A hierarchical cluster analysis approach using Ward’s linkage method and squared Euclidean distance was conducted, followed by a nonhierarchical k-means cluster analysis using simple Euclidean distance as the similarity measure to examine two-, three-, four-, and five-cluster solutions. An intra-class correlation (ICC) and a discriminant analysis were also conducted to validate the cluster membership results. This research identified five profiles of intelligence that had an effect on academic performance. Students with high scores in the scholastic aptitude subtests tended to have higher grade point average than those with high scores in the nonverbal ability subtests and the speed and accuracy ability subtests. The findings can be used as a recommendation for psychologists in Indonesia for university placement tests.

Integrated neuropsychological assessment and intervention for youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Chapter

Full-text available

Jan 2013

Structural Validity of the Spanish Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition in a Large Sample of Spanish Children with ADHD

Article

Sep 2018

The factorial structure of the WISC-IV for 859 Spanish children diagnosed with ADHD was examined. A bifactor model with the four-factors first identified by Wechsler (2003a) was the best fit to the data. The Coding and Symbol Search subtests were particularly poor measures of g but relatively strong measures of the Processing Speed factor. In contrast, the Block Design (BD) and Picture Concepts (PC) subtests were relatively strong measures of g but weak measures of the Perceptual Reasoning factor. In fact, 80% of the BD variance and 97.8% of the PC variance and was due to the general factor. Additionally, the Wechsler bifactor model was invariant across ADHD-Combined and ADHD-Inattentive groups, permitting a direct comparison of WISC-IV across children diagnosed with these subtypes of ADHD. Only the FSIQ exhibited robust estimates of reliability ( = .85 and h = .70). In contrast, the group factor scores were unreliable measures of their proposed underlying factors (hs coefficients ranging from .14 to .50). It is unlikely that WISC-IV index score profiles can validly contribute to ADHD assessments. Consequently, clinicians must produce psychometric evidence to justify the interpretation of Wechsler score profiles for children with ADHD.

Diagnostic, Demographic, and Neurocognitive Correlates of Dysgraphia in Students with ADHD, Autism, Learning Disabilities, and Neurotypical Development

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2018
J DEV PHYS DISABIL

The importance of diagnostic, demographic, and neurocognitive correlates of dysgraphia in 1006 students 6–16 years was determined. Children with ADHD or autism (n = 831) and neurotypical children (n = 175) were administered the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI), Wechsler subscales, and reading and math tests. IQ was the strongest correlate of dysgraphia (VMI scores), followed by diagnosis (ADHD/autism vs. neurotypical). Visual-fine motor ability was the only other significant correlate. Verbal and visual reasoning ability, processing speed, working memory, attention, reading, and math did not contribute significantly more to concurrently predicting dysgraphia, nor did age, sex, race, and parent occupation. Dysgraphia was common in children with ADHD (56%) and autism (56%), especially those with a learning disability in reading (71%) or math (72%). The study demonstrates the importance of controlling for both IQ and diagnosis when examining factors related to dysgraphia, which previous studies have not done. Students with ADHD, autism, learning disability, or fine motor problems should be evaluated for dysgraphia because the majority of students with any one of these problems will have impaired handwriting, which needs to be identified and addressed in school. Effective accommodations to compensate for dysgraphia are available to help avoid its negative repercussions.

High Prevalence of Dysgraphia in Elementary Through High School Students With ADHD and Autism

Article

Jul 2017

Objective: Prevalence of dysgraphia by age across all grade levels was determined in students with ADHD or autism. Method: Referred children with normal intelligence and ADHD-Combined, ADHD-Inattentive, or autism ( N = 1,034) were administered the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). Results: VMI and WISC Coding scores were significantly lower than IQ and the normal mean of 100 for all diagnoses. More than half (59%) had dysgraphia, and 92% had a weakness in graphomotor ability relative to other abilities. Dysgraphia prevalence did not differ between diagnostic or age groups (6-7 years, 56%; 8-10 years, 60%; and 11-16 years, 61%). Conclusion: Dysgraphia is common at all ages in children and adolescents with ADHD and autism. Accommodations and strategies for addressing this problem are discussed.

Intelligence profiles of Chinese school-aged boys with high-functioning ASD and ADHD

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2017

Purpose This study aimed to explore the intelligence profiles of Chinese school-aged boys with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, differences in intelligence quotient (IQ) between the HFASD group and the ADHD group were examined. Patients and methods Thirty-two boys with HFASD, 58 boys with ADHD, and 39 typically developing (TD) boys aged 6–16 years participated in this study. The ADHD group was divided into subgroups: ADHD-I (predominantly inattentive) and ADHD-C (combined type). (The ADHD-H [hyperactive] group was excluded because of small sample size). The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV Chinese version was administered to every participant, and the FSIQ (Full-Scale IQ) score was used as the measure of IQ. Results Both boys with HFASD and ADHD (ADHD-I and ADHD-C) showed impairments in Processing Speed Index and FSIQ, as compared to the TD group. Lower Verbal Comprehension Index scores were found in the ASD and ADHD-I groups. Interestingly, Working Memory Index was only impaired in children with ADHD. Additionally, equivalent Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) scores were found among the HFASD, ADHD, and TD groups. Conclusion Results indicated that both children with ADHD and HFASD have difficulty in processing speed, which may be explained by these children having neurodevelopmental disorders. These results also indicated that working memory appears to only be impacted by having ADHD. Children with ASD are known to have language difficulties while children with ADHD typically display working memory deficits; thus, these findings were expected.

Comorbid Conditions in Child and Adolescent Patients Diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Chapter

Full-text available

Sep 2015

ADHD: what’s new in DSM‑5? - PHDA: O que Há de Novo no DSM‑5?

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2015

A Perturbação de Hiperatividade/Défice de Atenção (PHDA) caracteriza‑se por manifestações comportamentais que afetam o normal funcionamento/desenvolvimento da criança, do adolescente e do adulto, em diferentes contextos de vida. Segundo o Manual de Diagnóstico e Estatística das Perturbações Mentais5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – DSM), a PHDA apresenta a robustez clínica necessária para ser considerada uma perturbação específica do neurodesenvolvimento. Neste artigo descrevemos as principais características da PHDA, valorizando aspetos relacionados com a epidemiologia, semiologia, comorbilidades e avaliação, mas sobretudo debatemos as alterações operadas aos critérios de diagnóstico no DSM‑5, nomeadamente: especificadores, idade de início, ponto de corte, e comorbilidade com Perturbação do Espectro do Autismo.

Discrepancy between WISC-III and WISC-IV cognitive profile in autism spectrum: What does it reveal about autistic cognition?

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2015
PLOS ONE

The cognitive profile and measured intellectual level vary according to assessment tools in children on the autism spectrum, much more so than in typically developing children. The recent inclusion of intellectual functioning in the diagnostic process for autism spectrum disorders leads to the crucial question on how to assess intelligence in autism, especially as some tests and subtests seem more sensitive to certain neurodevelopmental conditions. Our first aim was to examine the cognitive profile on the current version of the most widely used test, the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC-IV), for a homogenous subgroup of children on the autism spectrum, i.e. corresponding to DSM-IV diagnosis of "autism". The second aim was to compare cognitive profiles obtained on the third edition versus 4th edition of WISC, in order to verify whether the WISC-IV yields a more distinctive cognitive profile in autistic children. The third aim was to examine the impact of the WISC-IV on the cognitive profile of another subgroup, children with Asperger's Syndrome. 51 autistic, 15 Asperger and 42 typically developing children completed the WISC-IV and were individually matched to children who completed the WISC-III. Divergent WISC-IV profiles were observed despite no significant intelligence quotient difference between groups. Autistic children scored significantly higher on the Perceptual Reasoning Index than on the Verbal Comprehension Index, a discrepancy that nearly tripled in comparison to WISC-III results. Asperger children scored higher on the VCI than on other indexes, with the lowest score found on the Processing Speed Index. WISC-IV cognitive profiles were consistent with, but more pronounced than WISC-III profiles. Cognitive profiles are a valuable diagnostic tool for differential diagnosis, keeping in mind that children on the autism spectrum might be more sensitive to the choice of subtests used to assess intelligence.

Heterogeneity of cognitive profiles in children, young adults and older adults

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Sep 2015

Cognitive heterogeneity or dispersion, referring to intraindividual variability across tasks, has often been studied in pathological subgroups, but is rarely studied in normal cognitive development. The aim of the present study was to explore age differences in dispersion across the lifespan, in two domains: processing speed and working memory (WM). 557 participants (aged 9-89 years) underwent a battery of Response Times (RT) and WM tasks. Heterogeneity was analyzed separately in the two types of tasks, which showed a contrasted developmental trend. While young adults showed less heterogeneity than both children and older adults across RT tasks, they presented greater dispersion across WM tasks. A cluster analysis distinguished a group showing relatively little dispersion and good overall performance from a group showing large dispersion in the RT tasks and poor performance. Altogether, our findings suggest that heterogeneity in RT and in WM performance do not reflect the same phenomenon.

'Dispersion in cognitive functioning: Age differences over the lifespan'

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2015

Introduction: A growing body of research suggests that intraindividual variability (IIV) may bring specific information on cognitive functioning, additional to that provided by the mean. The present paper focuses on dispersion, i.e., IIV across tasks, and its developmental trend across the lifespan. Method: Five hundred and fifty seven participants (9-89 years) were administered a battery of Response Times (RT) tasks and of Working Memory (WM) tasks. Dispersion was analyzed separately for the two types of tasks. Results: Dispersion across RT tasks showed a U-shaped age differences trend, young adults being less variable than both children and older adults. Dispersion across WM tasks (using accuracy scores) presented an opposite developmental trend. A cluster analysis revealed a group of individuals showing relatively little dispersion and good overall performance (faster in RTs and better in WM), contrasted with a group of individuals showing a large dispersion in the RT tasks as well as poorer overall performance. All young adults were grouped in the first cluster; children and older adults were distributed in both clusters. Conclusion: It is concluded that a) across-task IIV is relatively large in the entire sample and should not be neglected, b) children and older adults show a larger dispersion than young adults, but only as far as the RT tasks are concerned, c) variability in RTs and variability in WM performance do not reflect the same phenomenon.

Prediction of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder based on explainable artificial intelligence

Preprint

Full-text available

Feb 2024

The aim of this study is to predict the probability being diagnosed with ADHD using ML algorithms and to explain the behavior of the model to support decision making. The dataset studied included 694 cases. Information was obtained on age, sex and WISC-IV scores. Algorithms belonging to different ML learning styles were tested. A stratified 10-fold-cross-validation was applied to evaluate the models. The metrics were used: accuracy, area under the receiver operating characteristic, sensitivity and specificity. We compared models using all initial features and a suitable wrapper-type feature selection algorithm. After, we calculated Shapley additive values to assign weights to each predictor based on its additive contribution to the outcome and explain the predictions. The Random Forest algorithm performed best on most metrics. The main predictors included, GAI-CPI, WMI, CPI, PSI, VCI, WMI - PSI, PRI and LN. The ML model adequately predicted ADHD diagnosis in 90% of cases.

Review of Cognitive Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Performance on Six Subtests on Four Versions of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2021
J AUTISM DEV DISORD

This study was a systematic review of research using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to examine cognitive characteristics of children with ASD beyond the impact of revisions based on WISC and diagnostic criteria changes. The classic “islets of ability” was found in individuals with full-scale IQs < 100. The “right-descending profiles” were observed among high IQ score individuals. High levels on the Block Design and low Coding levels were consistently found regardless of the variation in intellectual functioning or diagnosis. This review identified patterns of cognitive characteristics in ASD individuals using empirical data that researchers may have previously been aware of, based on their experiences, owing to the increased prevalence of ASD.

A comparison of local-global visuospatial processing in autism spectrum disorder, nonverbal learning disability, ADHD and typical development

Article

Aug 2020
RES DEV DISABIL

Background Research on visuospatial functioning has revealed cognitive challenges for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), nonverbal learning disability (NLD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These disorders are characterized by some overlapping symptoms, making their diagnosis a challenge. Aims The study aims to clarify the role of visuospatial abilities in their neuropsychological profiles by investigating different visuospatial domains and their interplay with the local-global processing. Method and procedures Participants (N = 150) with ASD, NLD, or ADHD were compared with typically-developing (TD) children on visuospatial processing speed, visuo-perceptual abilities, visuo-constructive abilities, and visuospatial working memory. Generalized mixed-effects models were performed and receiver operating characteristic curves were estimated to express the usefulness of a local-global processing index in discriminating groups. Outcomes and results The NLD group was impaired in all domains; children with ADHD revealed a heterogeneous profile, with greater impairments in visuospatial processing speed; ASD and TD groups were comparable. The local-global processing index had predictive power in discriminating among groups in visuo-constructive task. Conclusions and implications The study of visuospatial abilities of children with ASD, NLD and ADHD might help to understand strengths and weaknesses in their neuropsychological profile and to differentiate between them. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Brief Report: Performance-Based Executive Functioning Abilities are Associated with Caregiver Report of Adaptive Functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Article

Apr 2020

Executive functioning is thought to contribute to adaptive behavior skills development in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, supporting data are largely based on caregiver reports of executive functioning. The current study evaluated whether performance-based measures of executive functioning (working memory and inhibition) explained unique variance in parent-reported adaptive functioning among youth with ASD without an intellectual disability. Both spatial and verbal working memory were associated with adaptive functioning, particularly communication and daily living skills. Our findings demonstrate a robust relationship between working memory and adaptive functioning that translates across different measurement modalities. This preliminary study highlights that targeting executive functioning may be a critical component of an adaptive function training program.

Assessment of Language Abilities in Minority Adolescents and Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Extensive Special Education Needs: A Pilot Study

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2020

Purpose Little is known about the language abilities of adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) despite the importance of language in their other life outcomes. Even less is known about the language abilities of racial/ethnic minorities with ASD and extensive special education needs. These gaps limit our understanding of adolescents and young adults with ASD. Method A pilot study evaluated the efficacy of individualized age-referenced language assessment for minority adolescents and young adults with ASD in self-contained special education settings. Participants ( n = 10) completed the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Third Edition, Test for Early Grammatical Impairment (TEGI), Columbia Mental Maturity Scale, and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Third Edition Digit Span. Results Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Third Edition scores showed little variation, with most participants showing a floor effect. TEGI, Columbia Mental Maturity Scale, and Digit Span scores showed greater variation. Some participants had ceiling TEGI scores, and some had variable assessment profiles. Conclusion Assessment was sensitive to variability across some measures. The pilot study outcomes support the feasibility and potential informativeness of additional investigation of conventional language assessments and change over time.

Correlates of Academic Overachievement, Nondiscrepant Achievement, and Learning Disability in ADHD, Autism, and General Population Samples

Article

Mar 2020

Little is known about the characteristics of academic overachievers, children whose achievement significantly exceeds IQ. Correlates of overachievement (achievement test scores ≥ 1 SD above IQ), nondiscrepant achievement, and learning disability (LD; achievement ≥ 1 SD below IQ) were analyzed in 1,543 children (739 ADHD, 285 autism, and 519 general population), 6–16 years of age. Significant correlates of the reading and math achievement groups were diagnosis (autism greatest overachievement, ADHD greatest LD), IQ (lowest in overachievers and highest in LD), and Working Memory scores relative to the child’s IQ (close to or exceeding IQ in overachievers and lower than IQ in LD). Demographics (age, sex, race, and parent occupation) and parent and teacher ratings of psychopathology (e.g., behavior problems, anxiety, and depression) and personality characteristics (e.g., motivation and self-confidence) did not contribute significantly more to predicting overachievement and LD beyond that explained by IQ, diagnosis, and working memory. These findings suggest an underlying neurobiological etiology for both overachievement and LD.

Comparison of the K-WISC-IV profiles of boys with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Article

Dec 2019

Aims: This study aimed to compare the intelligence profiles of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (K-WISC-IV) scores to differentiate between their cognitive characteristics. Methods: Subjects were boys with ASD (n = 49) and ADHD (n = 44). The index and subtest scores of the ASD and ADHD groups were compared using MANOVA. Repeated-measures ANOVA was performed to investigate the cognitive strengths and weaknesses within the ASD and ADHD groups. Results: Verbal comprehension was significantly lower in the ASD group compared to the ADHD group. The ASD group also scored lower than the ADHD group on Vocabulary, Comprehension, Picture Concepts, Picture Completion, and Symbol Search. The ADHD group scored lower than the ASD group on Digit Span. The ASD group displayed slower processing speed and social judgment, while the ADHD group exhibited poor working memory and graphomotor processing. Conclusion: The WISC-IV profiles might help distinguishing between the cognitive characteristics of ASD and ADHD boys.

A cross-task comparison on visuospatial processing in autism spectrum disorders

Article

Nov 2019
AUTISM

This study aimed to draw a cross-task comparison on visuospatial processing in autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability. Participants with autism spectrum disorder were matched with typically developing individuals on general intelligence and perceptual reasoning index. The two groups were subsequently compared on visuospatial processing speed, visuo-perceptual, visuo-constructive, and visuospatial working memory tasks. Our results revealed similar performances between autism spectrum disorder and typically developing individuals on measures of visuospatial processing speed and visuospatial working memory. The autism spectrum disorder group showed slower reaction times than the typically developing group in the visuo-perceptual task, when stimuli were characterized by a minimum level of perceptual cohesiveness, revealing weaker spatial integration abilities. Concerning the visuo-constructive domain, no differences between the autism spectrum disorder and the typically developing group emerged for the unsegmented condition, revealing that our participants with autism spectrum disorder were similar to the typically developing group in the local analysis of the stimuli. The discussion takes into account the role of individual differences on visuospatial intelligence, task requirements, and cognitive domains to clarify the visuospatial processing skills of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Replication of a rare risk haplotype on 1p36.33 for autism spectrum disorder

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2018
HUM GENET

Hundreds of genes have been implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In genetically heterogeneous conditions, large families with multiple affected individuals provide strong evidence implicating a rare variant, and replication of the same variant in multiple families is unusual. We previously published linkage analyses and follow-up exome sequencing in seven large families with ASDs, implicating 14 rare exome variants. These included rs200195897, which was transmitted to four affected individuals in one family. We attempted replication of those variants in the MSSNG database. MSSNG is a unique resource for replication of ASD risk loci, containing whole genome sequence (WGS) on thousands of individuals diagnosed with ASDs and family members. For each exome variant, we obtained all carriers and their relatives in MSSNG, using a TDT test to quantify evidence for transmission and association. We replicated the transmission of rs200195897 to four affected individuals in three additional families. rs200195897 was also present in three singleton affected individuals, and no unaffected individuals other than transmitting parents. We identified two additional rare variants (rs566472488 and rs185038034) transmitted with rs200195897 on 1p36.33. Sanger sequencing confirmed the presence of these variants in the original family segregating rs200195897. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a rare haplotype being transmitted with ASD in multiple families. The candidate risk variants include a missense mutation in SAMD11, an intronic variant in NOC2L, and a regulatory region variant close to both genes. NOC2L is a transcription repressor, and several genes involved in transcription regulation have been previously associated with ASDs.

Prevalence of dental caries in patients with intellectual disabilities from the Association of Exceptional Children’s Parents and Friends of Southern Brazil

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and severity of dental caries, missing and restored teeth (DMFT) and the efficiency of oral health programs for patients with intellectual disabilities, from age 11 to 38, who attended at the Association of Exceptional Children’s Parents and Friends (APAE) in Passo Fundo, southern Brazil. Methods: The prevalence of dental caries was assessed by DMFT in 109 patients. The mean and standard deviation were evaluated by One-way ANOVA with 5% significance level. Results: 47 of the evaluated students were female and 62 male, with moderate mental disability, Down syndrome, cerebral paralysis and epilepsy. The DMFT average was 3.93 for 11-14 years, 3.47 for 15-19 years, 4.74 for 20-30 years and 5.68 for the group 31-40 years. There were no significant differences among the DMFT index, gender and intellectual disability for the groups. Conclusion: Patients had acceptable oral hygiene within their limitations, suggesting that prevention and dental care program developed in APAE-PF/RS could be used as a model for health care for patients with intellectual disabilities in other institutions and other cities.

Intelligence testing and treatment planning with children

Chapter

Jan 2013

Calculating theoretical base rates of score differences

Article

Jul 2017

Objective: In this study, we developed new methods to calculate theoretical base rates of score differences when more than two test scores are involved in score comparisons. The study compares the results of theoretical and observed base rates, and then explores whether these methods can be used in practice. Methods: We proposed the formulas and the Monte Carlo methods calculating theoretical base rates of score differences between a single test score and a mean of several test scores by overall sample and subsamples. We also compared observed and theoretical base rates of score differences in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (5th ed.). using the normative sample data. Results: The theoretical base rates obtained from the new methods were close to the observed base rates. Conclusions: The new methods can derive reasonable theoretical base rates and are usable practically.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale Children in the inquirity of ADHD

Article

Jun 2008

Purpose: To evaluate the intellectual performance of children diagnosed with ADHD and analyze the efficiency of WISC-III. Methods: 30 children diagnosed with ADHD (23 with ADHD only and 7 with ADHD and comorbidity, both gender, and ages between 7 and 16 years old, proceeding from the SEPIA-IPq-HCFMUSP. Results: The groups showed difficulties in the following subtests: Information, Coding and Arithmetic when they were compared with normative sample. However, when both groups were compared with normative sample we verified that only the group with ADHD only presented difficulties in two subtests: Digit span and Symbol Search. Discussion: Although this study has not found significant differences in the general indexes, it's possible to state that below average performance in Information, Arithmetic, Coding, Digit span and Symbol Search can suggest weakness, in this group, related to attentional amplitude, concentration and processing speed which result in difficulties in acquiring new information

Developmental Disorders of Attention

Chapter

Jul 2014

Ronald Cohen

Most of the disturbances of attention discussed earlier in the book occur primarily among adults secondary to neurological or medical diseases or injury that affect the brain. Major psychiatric disturbances, such as major depression and schizophrenia, likely reflect phenotypic variations in brain development and development but also typically occur as full-blown disorders when people reach adulthood. There are actually many cases of acquired attention disturbance among children suffering from congenital or chronic medical disease. For example, children with heart defects often experience attention disturbances for many of the same reasons that adults do [1–6]. Attention disturbances also occur in children as the result of certain cancers and their treatment with radiation and chemotherapy [7–17]. The functional impact of these childhood conditions is often substantial since they occur against the backdrop of the developing brain. While devastating for the children who experience these illnesses, they are relatively uncommon, as only a small percentage of children in the population experience these conditions, compared to the relatively high relevance of brain disturbances arising from stroke, cardiovascular disease, and other medical conditions in older adults. Yet, attention deficit disorder (ADD) is among the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorder, occurring in approximately 10 % of school-age children in this country [18]. The assessment and treatment of ADD has become a major focus of child psychiatry. There are now thousands of published studies on ADD and a number of excellent texts on the subject, including Russell Barkley’s “Attention Deficit Disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment” [19] and the NICE guidelines [20], as well as several books that address the clinical neuroscience of ADD [21] and cognitive development [22]. In this chapter section, an overview of the normal development of attention and neuropsychological considerations regarding ADD will be provided.

Assessing and Intervening with Children with Externalizing Disorders

Article

Jan 2012

Colleen Jiron

Neuropsychology and Neurobiology Contributing FactorsOther Contributing FactorsComorbidity with Other Childhood Disorders and Learning DisabilitiesSchool Neuropsychological EvaluationEvidence-Based Interventions for the Treatment of Externalizing DisordersSummary

Tell Me More About It: A Query into the Relations Between Intelligence Scores and Problem Behaviors Using the WISC-IV

Article

Sep 2015

Decades of research have demonstrated links between behavioral adjustment and cognitive ability. However, little attention has been given to examining the relations between behavioral adjustment and IQ utilizing the most recent edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (i.e., WISC-IV). The WISC has undergone substantial revisions designed to produce more reliable and valid intellectual profiles. The release of a new edition provides a unique opportunity to revisit questions about IQ profiles and behavior. Consequently, we compared the relations between behavior problems and the WISC-III or WISC-IV. All 290 child participants were referred by their parent for a psychoeducational assessment due to academic concerns. This was a diverse sample. The majority was from a low-income family. Eighty-eight completed the WISC-III; 202 completed the WISC-IV. We found a number of differences between the WISC-III and WISC-IV in their relation to behavior problems, including significant negative relations between WISC-III IQ scores and adjustment scores that did not hold up with the WISC-IV. This may suggest that the WISC-IV is better than its predecessors at estimating IQ independently of behavior problems, which is important when testing clinically referred children. We also discuss alternate explanations and additional factors to consider.

Longitudinal study of very low birth weight infants until 9years of age; attention deficit hyperactivity and autistic features are correlated with their cognitive functions

Article

Oct 2015

Background: Increasing attention has been given to neuro-developmental problems of very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs) at school age. However, it remains unknown whether their neuro-cognitive function and psychiatric symptoms are mutually associated. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of neuro-cognitive functions in VLBWIs and their relationship with psychiatric symptoms. Methods: A total of 160 VLBWIs who were born at our institute between 2001 and 2005 were recruited consecutively and followed up until nine years of age. The developmental profiles were obtained from 77 children (45 males and 32 females) at six to nine years of age using the ADHD Rating Scale-Fourth edition (ADHD-RS), Autism Screening Questionnaire-Japanese version (ASQ-J) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third edition (WISC-III). Results: The full-scale intelligence quotient did not significantly differ between the male and female VLBWIs (median: 91 vs. 99, p=0.17). The males had higher total scores (median: 13 vs. 4, p<0.01) and higher scores on the subscales of Inattention (8 vs. 2, p<0.01) and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity (5 vs. 1, p<0.01) of the ADHD-RS compared with the females. The Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) of the WISC-III was inversely correlated with the total scores of the ASQ-J for all VLBWIs (n=77, rc: -0.32, 95% CI: -0.19 to -0.01, p=0.04). We also observed that the Freedom from Distractibility Index (FDI) of the WISC-III was significantly correlated with the Inattentive scores of the ADHD-RS (n=45, rc: -0.18, 95% CI: -0.35 to -0.02, p=0.03) in male, but not female VLBWIs. Conclusions: We herein report that the VCI and FDI of the WISC-III were correlated with the autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, respectively, in male VLBWIs.

The neuropsychology of attention: Second edition

Book

Dec 2013

Ronald Cohen

It has been 15 years since the original publication of Neuropsychology of Attention. At the time of its publication, attention was a construct that had long been of theoretical interest in the field of psychology and was receiving increased research by cognitive scientists. Yet, attention was typically viewed as a nuisance variable; a factor that needed to be accounted for when assessing brain function, but of limited importance in its own right. There is a need for a new edition of this book within Neuropsychology to present an updated and integrated review of what is know about attention, the disorders that affect it, and approaches to its clinical assessment and treatment. Such a book will provide perspectives for experimental neuropsychological study of attention and also provide clinicians with insights on how to approach this neuropsychological domain. © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014. All rights reserved.

Neuropsychological assessment in adolescents with anorexia nervosa – exploring the relationship between self-report and performance-based testing

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2015

Research investigating the relationship between neuropsychological test performances and self-reported cognitive functioning in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) is limited, and existing experimental studies only demonstrate a low-to-moderate relationship between the performance based tests and everyday behaviour. The objective of the current study was to explore the association between neuropsychological test performance and self-reports of executive functioning in adolescents with AN. Twenty adolescent females diagnosed with AN, aged 13 to 18, completed neuropsychological test battery “the Ravello Profile” and the self-report version of the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-SR). The BRIEF Parent Form (BRIEF-PF) was employed to provide additional information of the patients’ executive functioning. Based on group level analyses, the results support the existing literature in failing to find consistent weaknesses in neuropsychological functioning in adolescents with AN. Further, with few exceptions, the Ravello Profile was insubstantially correlated with the majority of the BRIEF clinical scales, indicative of a lack of association between these two assessment methods. The current study accentuates the need for concern regarding the generalizability of neuropsychological assessments in adolescent patients with AN.

Whole exome sequencing in extended families with autism spectrum disorder implicates four candidate genes

Article

Jul 2015
HUM GENET

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by impairment in communication and social interactions, and by repetitive behaviors. ASDs are highly heritable, and estimates of the number of risk loci range from hundreds to >1000. We considered 7 extended families (size 12-47 individuals), each with ≥3 individuals affected by ASD. All individuals were genotyped with dense SNP panels. A small subset of each family was typed with whole exome sequence (WES). We used a 3-step approach for variant identification. First, we used family-specific parametric linkage analysis of the SNP data to identify regions of interest. Second, we filtered variants in these regions based on frequency and function, obtaining exactly 200 candidates. Third, we compared two approaches to narrowing this list further. We used information from the SNP data to impute exome variant dosages into those without WES. We regressed affected status on variant allele dosage, using pedigree-based kinship matrices to account for relationships. The p value for the test of the null hypothesis that variant allele dosage is unrelated to phenotype was used to indicate strength of evidence supporting the variant. A cutoff of p = 0.05 gave 28 variants. As an alternative third filter, we required Mendelian inheritance in those with WES, resulting in 70 variants. The imputation- and association-based approach was effective. We identified four strong candidate genes for ASD (SEZ6L, HISPPD1, FEZF1, SAMD11), all of which have been previously implicated in other studies, or have a strong biological argument for their relevance.

Psychological Distress Among School-Aged Children with and Without Intrauterine Cocaine Exposure: Perinatal Versus Contextual Effects

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2015
J ABNORM CHILD PSYCH

Whether intrauterine cocaine exposure (IUCE) explains unique variance in psychiatric functioning among school age children, even after controlling for other biological and social risk factors, has not been fully delineated. As part of a longitudinal birth cohort study of children with and without IUCE, we conducted and analyzed data based on structured clinical interviews with 105 children (57 % male) and their caregivers when the child was approximately 8.5 years old; 47 % of the children had experienced IUCE. Interviews included past and current major psychological disorders and sub-threshold mental health symptoms. Potential covariates were ascertained by interviews of birth mothers and other caregivers from shortly after the child's birth until the 8.5-year visit. More than one-third of children met DSM-IV criteria for one or more mood, anxiety, attention deficit, or disruptive behavior disorders. IUCE was not significantly associated with children's history of psychological distress, in either bivariate or multiple logistic regressions. In contrast, birth mothers' acknowledgement of greater psychiatric distress at baseline and higher levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and at 8.5 years caregivers' reports of their own psychological distress, and children's lower IQ were predictors of higher rates of psychological morbidity. Findings are consistent with prior reports suggesting that, regardless of IUCE status, children from low-income, urban backgrounds are at heightened risk for psychological distress. Results underscore the need for closer monitoring of the mental health of children living in low-income households, with or without intrauterine substance exposures, to facilitate access to appropriate services.

Performance of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Anxiety/Depression on the WISC-III and Cognitive Assessment System (CAS)

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2003

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in cognitive performance between samples of children diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety and/or depression, and the normative groups on two tests of ability. Matched samples of 25 children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder were contrasted with 25 children diagnosed with anxiety/depression. Both groups were also compared to the normative values for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third Edition (WISC-III) and tests of Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive cognitive processes from the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS). Children with ADHD had lower Planning scores than those with anxiety/depression (6.5 points; effect size of 0.6) and lower Planning scores than the standardization sample (12.7 points; effect size of 0.9). No significant difference was found between children with ADHD, children with anxiety and depression, and the matched clinical sample on the WISC-III. The findings are commensurate with other studies, suggesting that Wechsler scores differentiated the samples minimally but CAS scores appear sensitive to the cognitive processing difficulties experienced by children with ADHD.

The Underlying Message in LD Intervention Research: Findings from Research Syntheses

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2000

This article summarizes the critical findings of recent research syntheses funded by the Office of Special Education Programs and the National Center for Learning Disabilities. The syntheses examined research on higher-order processing and problem-solving, reading comprehension, written expression, and grouping practices associated with improved outcomes in reading for students with learning disabilities. Common principles of instruction are identified across the syntheses. These principles are summarized and illustrated with research-based exemplars of best practice.

A 14-Month Randomized Clinical Trial of Treatment Strategies for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Article

Full-text available

Dec 1999
ARCH GEN PSYCHIAT

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated the short-term efficacy of pharmacotherapy and behavior therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but no longer-term tie, >4 months) investigations have compared these 2 treatments or their combination. Methods: A group of 579 children with ADHD Combined Type, aged 7 to 9.9 years, were assigned to 13 months of medication management (titration followed by monthly visits); intensive behavioral treatment (parent, school, and child components, with therapist involvement gradually reduced over time); the two combined; or standard community care (treatments by community providers). Outcomes were assessed in multiple domains before and during treatment and at treatment end point (with the combined treatment and medication management groups continuing medication at all assessment points). Data were analyzed through intent to-treat random-effects regression procedures. Results: All 4 groups showed sizable reductions in symptoms over time, with significant differences among them in degrees of change. For most ADHD symptoms, children in the combined treatment and medication management groups showed significantly greater improvement than those given intensive behavioral treatment and community care. Combined and medication management treatments did not differ significantly on any direct comparisons, but in several instances (oppositional/aggressive symptoms, internalizing symptoms, teacher-rated social skills, parent-child relations, and reading achievement) combined treatment proved superior to intensive behavioral treatment and/or community care while medication management did not. Study medication strategies were superior to community care treatments, despite the fact that two thirds of community-treated subjects received medication during the study period. Conclusions: For ADHD symptoms, our carefully crafted medication management was superior to behavioral treatment and to routine community care that included medication. Our combined treatment did not yield significantly greater benefits than medication management for core ADHD symptoms, but may have provided modest advantages for non-ADHD symptom and positive functioning outcomes.

The Role of Production Factors in Learning Disabled Students' Compositions

Article

Full-text available

Dec 1990

Steve Graham

The effects of mechanical interference, rate of production, and contentless production signals to write more on the quantity and quality of 4th- and 6th-grade learning disabled (LD) students' compositions were examined. A more rapid rate of production did not have a positive impact on the quantity or quality of what LD students produced. The mechanics of writing, however, interfered with both the quantity and quality of compositions. Furthermore, the introduction of contentless production signals led to substantial increases in the amount of text produced as well as small improvements in quality. The results indicated that LD students' writing problems are due, in part, to difficulties with mechanics and problems in sustaining production during writing. Implications for instruction are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Direct Teaching, Strategy Instruction, and Strategy Instruction With Explicit Self-Regulation: Effects on the Composition Skills and Self-Efficacy of Students With Learning Disabilities

Article

Full-text available

Sep 1992

Extends previous research on components of effective strategy instruction operationalized in an approach referred to as self-regulated strategy development (SRSD). Comparisons were made among learning-disabled students in 4 conditions (SRSD, SRSD without goal setting and self-monitoring, direct teaching, and practice control) at posttest, generalization, and 2 maintenance probes. Normally achieving (NA) peers constituted a social validation condition. Full SRSD resulted in significantly greater schematic structure scores at generalization as compared with the other instructional conditions. At posttest, both SRSD conditions resulted in significantly greater schematic structure scores as compared with the practice control condition. Comparisons with NA peers indicated that all instructional conditions had a meaningful effect. No differences among conditions were found for self-efficacy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Incorporating Strategy Instruction Within the Writing Process in the Regular Classroom: Effects on the Writing of Students with and without Learning Disabilities

Article

Full-text available

Sep 1990

Through a series of extended mini-lessons during writers' workshop, both students with and without a learning disability were taught a previously validated writing strategy and procedures for regulating the strategy and the writing process. The strategy instructional procedures had a positive effect on the 4th- and 5th-grade student Ss' writing. The schematic structure of their stories improved substantially following instruction and remained improved over time and with a different teacher. The quality of what was written also improved for all but 2 of the students following instruction. Overall, improvements in story quality were maintained and generalized by all of the students, except for the younger 4th graders and 1 5th-grade student. In addition, 1 of the students who had not evidenced quality gains immediately following instruction wrote qualitatively better stories on the generalization and maintenance probes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

WISC-III Predictors of Academic Achievement for Children with Learning Disabilities: Are Global and Factor Scores Comparable?

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2001

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) provides a Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), four factor standard scores, and subtest scale scores. In contrast with previous findings, this study of 174 children (aged 6–16 yrs) meeting criteria for learning disabilities revealed that the WISC-III factors accounted for a large portion of achievement variance during hierarchical regression analyses, yet FSIQ added little predictive power. A commonality analysis of FSIQ indicated that it is largely comprised of unique, not shared, factor variance. Analyzing the WISC-III subtests from a fluid-crystallized (Gf-Gc) intelligence theoretical framework, academic achievement commonality analyses revealed complex relationships among the predictors, with crystallized, quantitative, and short-term memory factors accounting for the most achievement variance, regardless of academic domain. Results suggest that simple rejection of factor or subtest scores based on hierarchical regression techniques is unwarranted and that systematic exploration of nomothetic and idiographic patterns of performance is recommended for practitioners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Proofreading for students with learning disabilities: Integrating computer and strategy use

Article

Full-text available

Jan 1997

We investigated the impact of integrated proofreading strategy training, combining the use of a computer-based spelling checker and student strategies, on the proofreading performance of students with learning disabilities (LD). Three high school students with LD were taught to apply a 5-step proofreading strategy with controlled materials and in a variety of generalization activities. A multiple-probe, across-subjects design was used with 3 phases: baseline, intervention, and maintenance. Results provided evidence of increases in strategy use and percentage of spelling errors corrected on both controlled proofreading materials and on compositions written by the students. Postintervention, all 3 students produced written texts with final spelling error rates that fell within the performance range of nondisabled peers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Cluster Subtypes in the WISC–III Standardization Sample: Analysis of Factor Index Scores

Article

Full-text available

Sep 1996

Jacques Donders

Representative profile subtypes, based on factor index scores, were examined in the standardization sample of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Third Edition(WISC-III; Wechsler, 1991). Two-stage cluster analysis identified 5 reliable subtypes. Three of these were differentiated by levels of performance (ranging from below average, to average, to above average); the other 2 were characterized by patterns of performance, with relative efficacy on the processing speed factor being the most prominent distinction (ranging from a relative weakness to a relative strength). The cluster subtypes did not differ significantly in age, but parental level of education covaried directly with level of WISC-III performance. A method for determining the relative uniqueness of clinically obtained WISC-III factor index score patterns is presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Interpretation of individual subtest scores on the WISC-III

Article

Full-text available

Jun 1993

Joel H. Kramer

Provides tables that facilitate the clinical interpretation of individual Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III) subtest scores. Confidence intervals were computed for each possible scaled score for each WISC-III subtest. The confidence intervals are centered around estimated true scores and were calculated using the standard-error terms for true scores. A system for converting scores into descriptive terms is also provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

New Tools for Writing: Assistive Technology for Students with Writing Difficulties

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2000
TOP LANG DISORD

Charles MacArthur

: Computers have potential to support writing for students with disabilities by easing the physical processes involved in writing, helping to manage planning and revising processes, and supporting social interaction and communication. This article reviews research on the use of computer technologies to help individuals with mild educational disabilities write more effectively. The review considers research on word processing in general and on the use of word processing in teaching revision and in facilitating collaboration; tools that aid with transcription. such as spelling checkers, speech synthesis, word prediction, and speech recognition: and the limited research on hypermedia or multimedia to support writing. (C) 2000 Aspen Publishers, Inc.

Cognitive Abilities and Achievement Status of Children with Myelomeningocele: A Contemporary Sample

Article

Full-text available

Sep 1991

Designed study as a conceptual replication of Shaffer, Friedrich, Shurtleff, and Wolf (1985). Intelligence, school achievement, and perceptual motor skill data from 73 children with uncomplicated myelomeningocele were examined to determine their deviation from test norms. The respective impact of shunting and functional motor level was also assessed. The sample as a whole functioned below WISC-R and VMI norms. On the WRAT, deviation from the norms was evident only for the Arithmetic subtest. Partial replication of the Shunt X Motor level interaction reported by Shaffer et al. (1985) was obtained. Limitations of small-sample studies are discussed.

Identifying Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder with the WISC‐R and the Stroop Color and Word Test

Article

Jan 1990

Twenty‐nine children with a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) were compared to a group of 21 emotionally disturbed (ED) children and a control group (CO) of 20 nonproblem children. The meaures used in the comparison were the 12 subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children‐Revised (WISC‐R) and the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT). The results showed that the CO group was superior to the ADHD and ED groups and that the ED group performed better than the ADHD group on most of the variables. A stepwise discriminant function analysis showed that similar WISC‐R subtests differentiated between the ADHD group and the ED and CO groups. Two measures of the SCWT helped in discriminating between the ADHD and ED groups, but not between the ADHD and CO groups. The authors discuss the meaning of these findings and their contribution to better understanding of the ADHD group, its specific cognitive processing, and its problems.

Treatment Issues with High-Functioning Adolescents and Adults with Autism

Chapter

Jan 1992

Gary Mesibov

Following its identification by Leo Kanner in 1943, autism was viewed as an emotional handicap caused by inadequate mothering. Few questioned this assumption for several decades. This conception of autism led to many inappropriate interventions based on psychoanalytic principles. Among the most inappropriate and destructive of these were the group and individual therapeutic interventions directed toward these children and their families (Schopler & Mesibov, 1984). Many of the families that participated in these programs vividly remember them and their associated feelings of guilt and ineptitude.

An epidemiological-cohort study of DAS processing speed factor: How well does it identify concurrent achievement and behavior problems?

Article

Dec 1999

This study evaluated the criterion-related validity for the Speed of Processing (SP) factor of the Differential Ability Scales (DAS; Elliott, 1990). The SP factor is comprised of one subtest score (Speed of Information Processing) based on results from factor analyses. Participants were an epidemiological sample (N = 1,400) stratified, within age levels, in proportion to census data on demography (e.g., race, gender, parents' educational levels). From this cohort, groups with unusual SP strengths and SP weaknesses were identified using General Cognitive Ability (GCA) scores from the DAS as contrasts (i.e., SP>GCA and GCA>SP differences at a population prevalence ≤ 5%). The SP>GCA group (n = 60) and the GCA>SP group (n = 60) were matched to respective controls (where each control n = 60) on the demographic variables listed above and GCAs. Each group and its control were compared across three norm-referenced measures of achievement and six teacher-rated indices of behavioral adjustment Comparisons failed to show significant differences on any criterion variable. Results are discussed in the context of how well epidemiological samples evaluate the validity of ability profiles and the need for future research to use more representative measures of processing speed (i.e., those with two or more subtests contributing to the factor).

WISC-III performance of ADHD children

Article

Jan 1993

Comparison of WISC-III and WISC-R IQ changes over a 2-year time span in a sample of children with dyslexia

Article

Jan 1993

The abstract for this document is available on CSA Illumina.To view the Abstract, click the Abstract button above the document title.

WISC-III and SB:FE Performance of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Article

Dec 1995

This study examined the relationship between the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition in a sample of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Scales within and between the tests generally show moderate to high correlations although it is suggested that scores for individuals may vary between the tests.

An Epidemiological-Cohort Study of DAS Processing Speed Factor: How Well Does it Identify Concurrent Achievement and Behavior Problems?

Article

Dec 1999

Hyeonjoo J. Oh

This study evaluated the criterion-related validity for the Speed of Processing (SP) factor of the Differential Ability Scales (DAS; Elliott, 1990). The SP factor is comprised of one subtest score (Speed of Information Processing) based on results from factor analyses. Participants were an epidemiological sample (N= 1,400) stratified, within age levels, in proportion to census data on demography (e.g., race, gender, parents' educational levels). From this cohort, groups with unusual SP strengths and SP weaknesses were identified using General Cognitive Ability (GCA) scores from the DAS as contrasts (i.e., SP>GCA and GCA>SP differences at a population prevalence ≤ 5%). The SP>GCA group (n = 60) and the GCA>SP group (n = 60) were matched to respective controls (where each control n= 60) on the demographic variables listed above and GCAs. Each group and its control were compared across three norm-referenced measures of achievement and six teacher-rated indices of behavioral adjustment. Comparisons failed to show significant differences on any criterion variable. Results are discussed in the context of how well epidemiological samples evaluate the validity of ability profiles and the need for future research to use more representative measures of processing speed (i.e., those with two or more subtests contributing to the factor).

ADULT ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDERS INTERVENTION MANUAL

Article

Profile Analysis with the Wechsler Scales Why Does It Persist?

Article

Aug 1998

Despite the overwhelming evidence that mitigates against the use of profile analysis, the practice of diagnosing specific cognitive or processing disabilities continues. The reason that profile analysis remains popular is probably because school psychologists are simply unfamiliar with the literature. They have a difficult time understanding the notion of g, along with its implications. Generally, the users of profile analysis assume that because the IQ tests, particularly the WISC scales, generate scores from subtests that differ in content, they must be measuring different types of cognitive abilities, and therefore the profile of these cognitive abilities should be diagnostically important. Finally, they find profile analysis more socially acceptable in that it implies the existence of multiple intelligences. The notion that a single IQ score captures all that is meaningful and practical about the IQ test is simply not acceptable, regardless of evidence to the contrary.

Reading‐disabled students with and without comorbid arithmetic, disability

Article

Jan 1995

Two subgroups of learning disabled students, reading disabled only (RD) and reading/arithmetic disabled (RAD), were contrasted at two age levels, 8 to 12 years old and 12 to 17 years old. At both age levels, RAD students were significantly poorer spellers and weaker on the Arithmetic and Coding subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) than RD‐only students. The younger subgroups were also differentiated by four other WISC‐R sub‐tests: Information, Similarities, Comprehension, and Block Design. The adolescent subgroups differed on the new Symbol Search subtest of the WISC‐III. The subgroups did not differ at either age level on phonological skills, memory tasks, naming speed, and picture vocabulary. Nor did they differ on parent ratings of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Evidence is presented that arithmetic disabled children fall relatively further behind with increasing age. A core weakness in reading and arithmetic disability is processing speed, and students with dual disabilities are particularly impaired. Other possible factors in co‐occurring reading and arithmetic disability are inferential reasoning, generalization, temperament, and inadequate supervised practice.

Just Say No to Subtest Analysis: A Critique on Wechsler Theory and Practice

Article

Sep 1990

Wechsler's beliefs about the nature of human intelligence and its measurement have profoundly influenced contemporary theory and practice. He encouraged interpretations not only of more global intellective indices, such as IQ but encouraged as well the search for pathognomonic meaning in patterns of underlying, more specific, subtest scores. This article examines the evidence that concerns the interpretation of Wechsler and similar tests as measures of specific rather than global ability. Popular practices that involve use of subtests for both intraindividual and interindividual assessment are viewed in the light of empirical research, and recommendations are presented.

Cognitive Outcome in Children with Myelomeningocele and Perinatal Hydrocephalus: A Longitudinal Perspective

Article

Dec 2001

Myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida where the vertebrae fail to fuse during foetal development, is often associated with sensory deficits, reduced motor function and hydrocephalus. These complications may interfere with the development of the central nervous system affecting myelination of axons and formation of synaptic connections, and development of cognitive skills, particularly where complications occur within the first twelve months of life. This paper examines the long-term cognitive outcome in nineteen children with myelomeningocele, who were shunted for hydrocephalus within the first year of life. In comparison to a healthy control group matched for age and gender, the clinical sample were found to have globally compromised cognitive skills, including reduced intellectual and educational skills. Specific impairments were noted on measures of speed of processing, immediate registration of information, learning and memory, organisation and high level language, with greatest deficits on more complex, less structured tasks. Within the clinical group, there was a fall in IQ over time, suggesting a failure to acquire cognitive skills in the expected time frame. These results, reflecting a cumulative pattern of deficits over time, highlight the importance of long-term follow up in children with myelomeningocele and perinatal hydrocephalus.

Oral and Written Compositions of Students with and without Learning Disabilities

Article

Jun 1994

Lawrence Lewandowski

The study compared seventh- and eighth-grade students with and without learning disabilities on two story production tasks -dictation and handwriting. The dependent measures were fluency (total numbers of words), time (total time of composing), rate (fluency divided by time), and thematic maturity (e.g., relevance to picture, title, dialogue). Handwritten compositions were scored further with the syntactic maturity, contextual vocabulary, contextual spelling, and contextual style subtests of the TOWL-2. Results indicated that the handwritten compositions of students with learning disabilities were technically (i.e., syntax, spelling, style, word length) inferior to normal achievers' compositions. Whereas the groups composed similarly on the oral task, thematic maturity scores on the written task increased for normal achievers and decreased for students with learning disabilities. Reading ability accounted for more variance in thematic maturity scores on the hand-written task (26%) than it did on the oral task (9%). It appears that learning-disabled students display weaknesses in various linguistic and technical requirements of writing and that oral composing may offer advantages to these students.

WISC-III freedom from distractibility as a measure of attention in children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Article

Nov 1998

WISC-III data were analyzed in clinical samples of 87 children with ADHD and 32 children without ADHD. Mean FSIQ (Full Scale IQ) exceeded FDI (Freedom from Distractibility Index) at all ages from 6 to 16 years in the ADHD group but not in the nonADHD group. Further, the discrepancy between FSIQ and FDI was significantly greater in the ADHD group. The four lowest mean subtest scores for the ADHD group were Digit Span, Arithmetic, Coding, and Symbol Search, which was not the case for the nonADHD group. For significantly more children with ADHD (87%), the score for FDI plus the Processing Speed Index was less than the sum of the two remaining Index scores (VCI+POI). No children without ADHD had Digit Span and Arithmetic as two of their three lowest subtest scores, whereas this was found for 23% of children with ADHD. The presence of mood, behavior, or learning disorders affected scores in some cases. An independent replication study involving 52 referred children with ADHD and 23 without ADHD supported these findings.

CASE STUDY Methylphenidate Treatment of Hyperactive Autistic Children

Article

Mar 1988
J AM ACAD CHILD PSY

Although psychostimulants are effective treatment for children with Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, and they have similar effects on attention in normal children and adults, their use in autism has been contraindicated. Nine children (ages 4 to 16), diagnosed as having autism, were given methylphenidate in doses ranging from 10 to 50 mg/day. All children showed significant improvement in all the rating scales, except the oldest child, who did not show any changes in school behavior. There were no major side effects or worsening of the stereotype movements.

Are tests of frontal lobe functions useful in the diagnosis of attention deficit disorders? Clin

Article

Jun 1994

Nine neuropsychological tests presumed to assess various frontal lobe functions in children were evaluated for their accuracy in classifying children as having attention deficit disorders (ADD) with (ADD+H) and without hyperactivity (ADD-H). Four groups of children were evaluated: ADD+H (n=12), ADD-H (n=12), non-ADD learning disabled (LD) children (n=11), and a normal community control group (n=12). Results indicated low levels of sensitivity for the ADD groups. Positive predictive power (PPP) for the diagnosis of ADD+H was poor for eight of the tests reaching levels exceeding 50% only for the CPT commission score. Combining both ADD groups resulted in a PPP that approached or exceeded reasonably acceptable levels (90% or higher) for two tests: the CPT scores and the F-A-S version of the Controlled Oral Word Association Test. This led to a marked reduction in negative predictive power for these same tests, however. Hence, abnormal scores on these two tests may be predictive of ADDs, though not of which subtype, while normal scores are not indicative of an absence of ADD and should go uninterpreted. The remaining tests do not seem helpful for clinical diagnostic purposes with ADD children at this time.

Intelligent testing with the W1SC-R

Article

Jan 1994

Alan S. Kaufman

Acute Intellectual Effects of Pediatric Head Trauma

Article

Jun 1999

The current study compared Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III) performances of 30 children who sustained head injury with the performance of orthopedic controls matched on gender, age, race, and parental education and occupational attainment. Children were followed during initial hospitalization, trauma severity variables were recorded, and duration of posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) was determined by serial testing of mental status. The WISC-III was administered immediately following resolution of amnesia. Although the majority of patients sustained mild injuries, children with head injuries obtained significantly lower IQ and factor scores than nonneurologically injured children. Consistent with past research, performance-based scores including Performance IQ, Perceptual Organization, and Processing Speed were more sensitive to head trauma than their verbal counterparts. Standardized measurement of PTA appeared to be a better predictor of IQ status following injury than Glasgow Coma Scale score on admission or length of unconsciousness.

Strategies for Improving the Social Integration of Children with Asperger Syndrome

Article

Mar 2000
AUTISM

Tony Attwood

There is general agreement that children with Asperger syndrome have difficulties in social integration with their peers. Our current understanding of the nature of these difficulties is explained and specific strategies are described that are designed to encourage greater competence in the skills that are necessary to achieve effective social integration. While we do not have any clear scientific evidence of whether and how these strategies are successful, they provide a source of ideas for future examination by academic research and provisional remedial programmes for practitioners.

Understanding the Student with Asperger SyndromeGuidelines for Teachers

Article

Jun 1995

KAREN WILLIAMS

Children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome present a special challenge in the educational milieu. This article provides teachers with descriptions of seven defining characteristics of Asperger syndrome, in addition to suggestions and strategies for addressing these symptoms in the classroom. Behavioral and academic interventions based on the author's teaching experiences with children with Asperger syndrome are offered.

Cognitive functioning of ADHD and non-ADHD boys on the WISC-III and WRAML: An analysis within a memory model

Article

Oct 1996

This study examined differences in patterns of cognitive functioning, as assessed by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Revision (WISC-III) and Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML), in 20 boys with ADHD and 20 boys referred for other psychological problems. The two groups were comparable in age (6 to 13 years) and WISC-III Full-Scale IQ. The ADHD group showed significantly lower scores on the WISC-III Freedom from Distractibility Index and the WRAML General Memory Index, Learning Index, and Visual Memory Index. Patterns of index scores and subtest scores, interpreted with relation to Atkinson and Shiffrin's Store Model of Memory, indicated that ADHD children show special problems on tasks requiring attention and processing through initial stages of memory. However, once material gets beyond initial stages to the long-term store, ADHD children tend to retain and apply the information as well as other children.

WISC-III Factor index score patterns after traumatic head injury in children

Article

Apr 1997

Four subtypes of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) factor index score patterns were identified by means of two-stage cluster analysis in a sample of 153 children with traumatic head injury (THI). Three of these subtypes were differentiated primarily by level of performance, and bore close resemblance to clusters known to be prevalent in the WISC-III standardization sample. One subtype displayed an uncommon pattern of performance, characterized by selective impairment on the Perceptual Organization and Processing Speed factor indexes, which may be clinically significant in children with THI. Support for the reliability and validity of the subtypes is provided. It is concluded that the WISC-III is a useful tool in the evaluation of sequelae of THI in children.

Cognitive Processing of Low Achievers and Children with Reading Disabilities: A Selective Meta-Analytic Review of the Published Literature

Article

Oct 2012
SCHOOL PSYCHOL REV

Synthesizes some of the published literature comparing the cognitive functioning of children with reading disabilities (RD) and children with low reading and low intelligence (low achievers). 19 studies, which yielded 274 effect sizes (ES), indicated that children with reading disabilities outperformed low achievers (LA) on measures of lexical knowledge, syntactical knowledge, and visual–spatial processing, but not on measures of phonological processing. Regression modeling indicated that the magnitude of effect size differences on cognitive measures between RD and LA children was significantly related to chronological age (older participants yield smaller effect sizes than younger participants) and verbal IQ (the greater the difference in IQ between RD and LA participants the larger the effect size). Model testing further supported the hypothesis that relative to other cognitive measures, children with RD share a common phonological core deficit with LA achievers. However, the results indicated that the deficits shared between these 2 groups are much broader than a phonological core. The results were discussed within the context of defining children with RD by discrepancy criteria and how advances in the classification of such children might occur. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Social Stories: Improving Responses of Students with Autism with Accurate Social Information

Article

Apr 1993

Discusses how the technique of teaching social behavior using the construction of social stories (SCSs) has helped strengthen the cognitive skills needed for social interaction in children with autism. SCSs seek to minimize potentially confusing instructional interactions to provide students with autism direct access to social information. Once the information is presented, new skills are practiced in the targeted situation with needed, but not excessive, support. SCSs are most likely to benefit students functioning intellectually in the trainable mentally impaired range or higher who possess basic language skills. Guidelines for writing and techniques for implementing SCSs are presented. Case examples of SCSs in practice for 2 girls (aged 7 and 9 yrs), a 6-yr-old boy, and a boy in high school are also detailed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Concomitant Learning Disabilities and Learning Problems among Students with Behavioral/Emotional Disorders

Article

Feb 1991

Examined the presence of concomitant learning disabilities/learning problems in 124 students (aged 5 yrs 1 mo to 15 yrs 5 mo) with behavioral disorders/emotional disturbance. Individual evaluations of each S were conducted in which tests of aptitude and academic achievement were administered. 38% of the Ss were identified as having learning disabilities and an additional 17.8% as having learning problems. Most of the identified Ss with learning disabilities had deficiencies in all content areas assessed; Ss with learning problems had deficiencies in all reading and/or language areas. The incidence of learning disabilities among Ss with behavioral disorders/emotional disturbance decreased as age increased; incidence of learning problems remained stable regardless of age groupings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Core Profile Types for the WISC-III and WIAT: Their Development and Application in Identifying Multivariate IQ-Achievement Discrepancies

Article

Dec 1994
SCHOOL PSYCHOL REV

Seeks to define a normative typology of ability and achievement profiles for the linking sample ( N = 824, aged 5–19 yrs) of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) and the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT). The typology was constructed using factor indices from the WlSC-III (Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, Freedom from Distractibility, Processing Speed) and composite scores from the WIAT (Reading, Mathematics, Language, Writing). Cluster analysis produced 6 core profile types, which are described according to population prevalence, score configuration, overall ability and achievement levels, and trends for parent and child demography. Two methods are presented for determining multivariate IQ–achievement discrepancies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Exceptional LD profile types for the WISC-III and WIAT

Article

Dec 1999
SCHOOL PSYCHOL REV

Examined ability and achievement profiles on the 3rd edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III) and Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) for 201 students (mean age 11.3 yrs), in grades 6–12, identified as learning disabled. An initial hierarchical cluster analysis indicated 5 distinct clusters that were similar to those found in previous research. After the initial cluster analysis of all cases, the ability and achievement profiles were matched against the most common multivariate profiles of ability and achievement scores derived from the WISC-III/WIAT linking sample. Results reveal that 70.1 % of the student profiles matched a core profile and could, therefore, be considered nonexceptional. A 2nd cluster analysis of the cases, which were judged to have exceptional profiles, indicated that 2 distinct clusters were present. The ramifications of these findings on the identification of learning disabilities as well as the utility of exceptional profiles are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Prevalence of Learning Disabilities at Enrollment in Special Education Students with Behavioral Disorders

Article

Nov 1999

The prevalence of learning disabilities (LD) was studied in a sample of 233 students (aged 6–16 yrs) who were newly identified with behavioral disorders (BD). Using a battery of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised (WISC--R) and the WIPEB achievement tests (i.e., reading, mathematics, and written language), occurrence was determined for 4 LD definitions: state, ability-achievement, regression-based ability-achievement, and low achievement. The mean Full Scale IQ for the students was 99.0. Over all, 53.2% met at least one LD definition, ranging from 15.9% for low achievement to 42.9% for regression. Almost one-quarter showed overlapping between low achievement and discrepancy definitions. Age, gender, and race had few significant effects on the LD frequencies, and no single achievement area predominated. The need for thorough testing for LD in students with BD at both initial evaluation and subsequent reevaluations is discussed, as well as the subsequent delivery of sufficient LD services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

WISC‐III profiles for children with and without learning disabilities

Article

Oct 1998
PSYCHOL SCHOOLS

The degree of WISC-III intersubtest scatter was normal and similar for 66 children with LD and 51 children without LD, but the pattern of scores differed. In the 8- to 16-year-old sample, children with LD scored lower on the Freedom from Distractibility Index relative to FSIQ than children without LD. This difference was found in both the ADHD and nonADHD subgroups, suggesting that children with LD may have an attention deficit even if they do not meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. The CAD profile was evident in the mean scores for both the LD/ADHD and LD/nonADHD subgroups, but it was not found among the lowest subtest scores for any of the nonLD subgroups. Though WISC-III profile types were apparent in LD group data, only a minority of individual children with LD actually had these profiles. In the 6- and 7-year-old group, children with and without LD were indistinguishable on the WISC-III, which may reflect the difficulty of ruling out LD at this young age. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Identifying Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder with the WISC‐R and the Stroop Color and Word Test

Article

Jan 1990
PSYCHOL SCHOOLS

Twenty-nine children with a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) were compared to a group of 21 emotionally disturbed (ED) children and a control group (CO) of 20 nonproblem children. The meaures used in the comparison were the 12 subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) and the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT). The results showed that the CO group was superior to the ADHD and ED groups and that the ED group performed better than the ADHD group on most of the variables. A stepwise discriminant function analysis showed that similar WISC-R subtests differentiated between the ADHD group and the ED and CO groups. Two measures of the SCWT helped in discriminating between the ADHD and ED groups, but not between the ADHD and CO groups. The authors discuss the meaning of these findings and their contribution to better understanding of the ADHD group, its specific cognitive processing, and its problems.

Asperger Syndrome, Autism and Attention Disorders: A Comparative Study of the Cognitive Profiles of 120 Children

Article

Feb 1997
J CHILD PSYCHOL PSYC

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC—R) was applied (in a Swedish version) in 120 children with Aspcrger syndrome, autistic disorder, and attention disorders. Using stepwise logistic regression analysis, the WISC's discriminating ability was investigated. The overall rate of correct diagnostic classification was 63%. Further. WISC profiles were analysed within each group. The group with autistic disorder was characterised by a peak on Block Design. The Asperger syndrome group had good verbal ability and troughs on Object Assembly and Coding, The group with attention disorders had troughs on Coding and Arithmetic. The results suggest that Kaufman's Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organisation and Freedom from Distractibility factors rather than verbal IQ and performance IQ account for the variance on the WISC. Furthermore, the Asperger syndrome and autistic disorder groups differed in respect of “fluid” and “crystallised” cognitive ability.

Prevention and Intervention of Writing Difficulties for Students with Learning Disabilities

Article

May 2001
Learn Disabil Res Pract

This paper presents six principles designed to prevent writing difficulties as well as to build writing skills: (a) providing effective writing instruction, (b) tailoring instruction to meet the individual needs, (c) intervening early, (d) expecting that each child will learn to write, (e) identifying and addressing roadblocks to writing, and (f) employing technologies. Many students with LD experience difficulties mastering the process of writing. We examine how schools can help these children become skilled writers. Six principles designed to prevent as well as alleviate writing difficulties are presented. These include providing effective writing instruction, tailoring writing instruction to meet each child’s needs, intervening early to provide additional assistance, expecting that each child will learn to write, identifying and addressing academic and nonacademic roadblocks to writing, and deploying technological tools that improve writing performance. The mn was sneB[translation:“The man was scared.”[ I think theu shold no how to speek differint langwges. If theu go to like dutch countri sombodie might ask them something theu cold have two kinds of langage

Efficacy of Methylphenidate Among Children with Autism and Symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Article

Jan 2000

Thirteen children (ages 5.6 to 11.2 years) with autism and symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of methylphenidate (0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg per dose). Eight subjects responded positively, based upon a minimum 50% decrease on the Conners Hyperactivity Index. Ratings of stereotypy and inappropriate speech, which are often associated with autistic core features, also decreased. However, no changes were found on the Child Autism Rating Scale, a global assessment of autistic symptomotology. Significant adverse side effects occurred in some children including social withdrawal and irritability, especially at the 0.6 mg/kg dose. Results suggest that methylphenidate can be efficacious for children with autism and ADHD symptoms. However, this group of children seems to be particularly susceptible to adverse side effects.

Novel Learning Abilities After Traumatic Head Injury in Children

Article

Jan 2000

The cognitive abilities of 69 children with traumatic head injury (THI) were evaluated with the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version (CVLT-C; Delis, Kramer, Kaplan, & Ober, 1994), the Children's Category Test (CCT; Boll, 1993), and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III; Wechsler, 1991). Compared to children with mild to moderate injuries, children with severe THI demonstrated statistically significant impairments on the CVLT-C Total T-score as well as the WISC-III Processing Speed index, but findings for the CCT were less robust. Longer length of coma and male gender were associated with relatively poorer performance on the CVLT-C. Children with severe THI demonstrated difficulties with both capacity and speed of information processing, which could not be accounted for by attentional or general verbal knowledge factors. It is concluded that the combination of the CVLT-C and the WISC-III is useful in the evaluation of cognitive sequelae of THI but that findings from the CCT must be considered with some caution in this population.

IQ interpretation for children with flat and variable test profiles

Article

Dec 2001
LEARN INDIVID DIFFER

Despite suggestions that IQ reflects an underlying ability trait, a direct comparison of typical and atypical populations using commonality analysis has not been undertaken. In this study, commonality analysis was used to examine unique and common factor predictors of Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) for typical children with variable (n=707) and flat profiles (n=166) based on significant index score variability. FSIQ was composed of primarily shared variance for the flat profile group, but unique variance for the variable profile group and the Learning-Disabled (LD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) samples, suggesting that FSIQ does not adequately represent global intellectual functioning for either typical children with significant profile variability or children with disabilities.

Verbal and nonverbal skill discrepancies in hydrocephalic children

Article

Aug 1992

This study evaluated a large sample (N = 90) of 5- to 7-year-old children with hydrocephalus caused by aqueductal stenosis or prematurity-intraventricular hemorrhage or associated with spina bifida. Comparison groups of normal controls, children with spina bifida and no shunt, and premature children with no hydrocephalus were also evaluated. Comparison of skill discrepancies at two occasions separated by 1 year revealed that hydrocephalic children, as a group, showed poorer nonverbal than verbal skills on measures from the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, the WISC-R, and composites of neuropsychological skills. No discrepancies in verbal-nonverbal memory were found nor were any discrepancies attributable to etiology or motor demands of the tasks. Consistent with current hypotheses concerning the role of the cerebral white matter in cognitive development, these results show that hydrocephalic children in this age range generally have poorer development of nonverbal cognitive skills relative to their language development.

A comparison of behavioral and attentional function in children diagnosed as hyperactive or learning disabled

Article

Mar 1992

Paul M Robins

The attentional and behavioral functioning of children diagnosed as hyperactive (ADHD), learning-disabled (LD), and hyperactive/learning-disabled were compared, using standardized behavior rating scales across raters and settings, and results from a battery of standardized neuropsychological tests. The ADHD and LD groups were "pure" samples with respect to comorbidity. Multiple discriminant-function analyses on the behavioral and neuropsychological data showed that one variate made clear-cut discriminations among and between each of the three groups. The constructs self-regulation, task accuracy/planning/speed, and aggression differentiated the three groups, while sustained attention did not. The results lend strong support to the validity of ADHD as a diagnostic entity apart from LD, and suggest that poor self-regulation and inhibition of behavior may be the hallmark of ADHD.

Sequential and simultaneous processing abilities of high-functioning autistic and language-impaired children

Article

Jan 1992

Investigated the Sequential and Simultaneous processing distinctions of high-functioning autistic children and children with a developmental receptive language disorder (DRLD). Twenty autistic subjects and 20 DRLD subjects were matched on age and gender, and compared to each other on their Sequential and Simultaneous processing abilities utilizing the K-ABC and selected subtests of the WISC-R. Results showed that both groups manifested a relative sequential processing deficit. However, the groups did not differ significantly on their overall sequential and simultaneous processing capabilities relative to their degree of language impairment. The application of the sequential and simultaneous processing model to the WISC-R provided consistent convergent and discriminant validation for the assessment of these processes with the WISC-R.

Similarities and Differences in Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Third Edition (WISC-III) Profiles: Support for Subtest Analysis in Clinical Referrals

Abstract

No full-text available

Recommended publications

Psychiatric implications of language disorders and learning disabilities: Risks and management

Comorbidity and WISC–III Profiles of Greek Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, L...