Cognitive predictors of social adjustment in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with photon versus proton radiation therapy.

Background: Pediatric brain tumor survivors are at risk for poor social outcomes. It remains unknown whether cognitive sparing with proton radiotherapy (PRT) supports better social outcomes relative to photon radiotherapy (XRT). We hypothesized that survivors treated with PRT would outperform those treated with XRT on measures of cognitive and social outcomes.

Telehealth diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder through clinical cases.

A diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) provides access to interventions that are important for fostering development and improving quality of life. Thus, the timeliness of a diagnosis should not be limited by social-distancing limitations whenever possible. Despite this, clear guidance for transitioning autism diagnostic services to a telehealth model of care in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic is lacking.

Long-term cognitive and academic outcomes among pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with proton versus photon radiotherapy.

Background: Proton radiotherapy (PRT) may be associated with less neurocognitive risk than photon RT (XRT) for pediatric brain tumor survivors. We compared neurocognitive and academic outcomes in long-term survivors treated with XRT versus PRT.

Methods: Survivors underwent neurocognitive evaluation >1 year after craniospinal (CSI) or focal PRT or XRT.

Role of Neurocognitive Factors in Academic Fluency for Children and Adults With Spina Bifida Myelomeningocele.

Objectives: Fluency is a major problem for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, including fluency deficits for academic skills. The aim of this study was to determine neurocognitive predictors of academic fluency within and across domains of reading, writing, and math, in children and adults, with and without spina bifida. In addition to group differences, we expected some neurocognitive predictors (reaction time, inattention) to have similar effects for each academic fluency outcome, and others (dexterity, vocabulary, nonverbal reasoning) to have differential effects across outcomes.

Longitudinal Predictors of the Overlap between Reading and Math Skills.

The predictors of developing reading skill are well known, and there is increasing coherence around predictors of developing math as well. These achievement skills share strong relations. Less knowledge is available regarding the extent to which predictors overlap and predict one another, particularly longitudinally, and across different types of reading and math.

A Cognitive Dimensional Approach to Understanding Shared and Unique Contributions to Reading, Math, and Attention Skills.

Disorders of reading, math, and attention frequently co-occur in children. However, it is not yet clear which cognitive factors contribute to comorbidities among multiple disorders and which uniquely relate to one, especially because they have rarely been studied as a triad. Thus, the present study considers how reading, math, and attention relate to phonological awareness, numerosity, working memory, and processing speed, all implicated as either unique or shared correlates of these disorders.

Attention, processing speed, and executive functioning in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with proton beam radiation therapy.

Background And Purpose: This study examines attention, processing speed, and executive functioning in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with proton beam radiation therapy (PBRT).

Material And Methods: We examined 39 survivors (age 6-19years) who were 3.61years post-PBRT on average.

Executive Function, Self-Regulated Learning, and Reading Comprehension: A Training Study.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the extent to which training that emphasizes the process of executive function (EF) and self-regulated learning (SRL) would result in increased reading comprehension; we also evaluated interrelationships of EF, SRL, and reading. We report an experiment ( N = 75 fourth graders) that contrasted two researcher-implemented conditions (text-based reading [TB] and text-based reading plus executive function [TB+EF]) to a control. We also evaluated relationships among measures of SRL, EF, and reading.

Adolescent brain maturation and smoking: what we know and where we're headed.

Smoking is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Smoking initiation often occurs during adolescence. This paper reviews and synthesizes adolescent development and nicotine dependence literatures to provide an account of adolescent smoking from onset to compulsive use.

International nursing student exchange: rural and remote clinical experiences in Australia.

A rural and remote international clinical exchange permits the senior nursing student to experience another culture and to develop a feel for daily life and nursing practice abroad. In a student exchange between Australia and Canada, similarities exist with regard to life and work for nurses who live in these developed countries. Similarities extend to a growing population base of original inhabitants or indigenous peoples with complex health challenges.