Intraindividual Variability in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: An Ex-Gaussian Approach.

Higher intraindividual variability (IIV) of response times is consistently noted in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The current study investigated whether an ex-Gaussian estimate of IIV in children ages 6-13 years-old could differentiate between children with and without ADHD. Children completed a computerized go/no-go task to estimate trial-by-trial IIV and a continuous performance test (CPT) to estimate inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.

Electrophysiological variability during tests of executive functioning: A comparison of athletes with and without concussion and sedentary control participants.

Objective: Sport participation may benefit executive functioning (EF), but EF can also be adversely affected by concussion, which can occur during sport participation. Neural variability is an emerging proxy of brain health that indexes the brain's range of possible responses to incoming stimuli (i.e.

Longitudinal assessment of behaviour in young children undergoing general anaesthesia.

Background: Exposure to general anaesthesia in children might increase the risk of long-term behavioural problems. It is unclear if any behavioural changes in the short term after anaesthesia could be associated with long-term problems. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the short-term trajectory of parent-reported behaviour measured by the Behaviour Assessment System for Children, third edition (BASC-3) amongst children aged 2.

Longitudinal assessment of cognitive function in young children undergoing general anaesthesia.

Background: Exposure to general anaesthesia in children may be related to deficits in certain areas of cognition. It is unclear if these deficits could be measured in the immediate postoperative period in young children. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the trajectory of cognitive function in the domains of processing speed, working memory, and fine motor skills amongst children aged 2.

Intraindividual variability in executive and motor control tasks in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Objective: Emerging evidence highlights intraindividual variability (IIV) during executive function (EF) tasks as a reliable endophenotype of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and as contributing to motor dysregulation and hyperactive-impulsive behaviors. This study examined the relationship between EF and motor control in children with and without ADHD.

Method: Ninety-seven children (6-13 years) completed standardized and experimental tasks of executive and motor control.

Pilot Study of an Attention and Executive Function Cognitive Intervention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

This pilot study investigated the efficacy of a game-based cognitive training program (Caribbean Quest; CQ) for improving attention and executive function (EF) in school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). CQ is a 'serious game' that uses a hybrid process-specific/compensatory approach to remediate attention and EF abilities through repetitive, hierarchically graded exercises delivered in an adaptive format. Game-play is accompanied by instruction in metacognitive strategies delivered by an adult trainer.

Feasibility and potential benefits of an attention and executive function intervention on metacognition in a mixed pediatric sample.

The term "metacognition" describes thinking about a cognitive phenomenon or, more simply put, thinking about thinking . Metacognition involves using knowledge about one's cognitive processes to change behavior, including monitoring and controlling cognition. Metacognition is vital for learning and is often more difficult for children with neurodevelopmental concerns (e.

Intraindividual variability in children is related to informant ratings of attention and executive function.

: Attention and executive function (EF) deficits are ubiquitous in neurodevelopmental disorders including Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as are high levels of intraindividual variability (IIV). Attention and EF are typically assessed using informant ratings and objective measures; however, discrepancies between different metrics often make it difficult to fully characterize a child's attention capabilities, and IIV has been proposed as a potentially useful discriminator. Our objective was to explore the relationship between IIV, using the residualized intraindividual standard deviation (rISD) method, and informant ratings of attention and EF in a mixed pediatric sample, to determine the potential utility of IIV for aiding attention diagnostics.

Attention and working memory training: A feasibility study in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

The current study investigated the efficacy of a game-based process specific intervention for improving attention and working memory in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The Caribbean Quest (CQ) is a 'serious game' that consists of five hierarchically structured tasks, delivered in an adaptive format, targeting different aspects of attention and/or working memory. In addition to game play, the intervention incorporates metacognitive strategies provided by trained educational assistants (EAs), to facilitate generalization and far transfer to academic and daily skills.

Evidence of motor-control difficulties in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, explored through a hierarchical motor-systems perspective.

Introduction: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may reflect a disorder of neural systems that regulate motor control. The current study investigates motor dysfunction in children with ADHD using a hierarchical motor-systems perspective where frontal-striatal/"medial" brain systems are viewed as regulating parietal/"lateral" brain systems in a top down manner, to inhibit automatic environmentally driven responses in favor of goal-directed behavior. It was hypothesized that due to frontal-striatal hypoactivation, children with ADHD would have difficulty with higher order motor control tasks felt to be dependent on these systems, yet have preserved general motor function.

Neuropsychological Profiles of Written Expression Learning Disabilities Determined by Concordance-Discordance Model Criteria.

Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) have disparate neuropsychological processing deficits that interfere with academic achievement in spelling, writing fluency, and/or written expression (WE). Although there are multiple potential causes of WE SLD, there is a paucity of research exploring this critical academic skill from a neuropsychological perspective. This study examined the neuropsychological profiles of WE SLD subtypes defined using the concordance-discordance model (C-DM) of SLD identification.

Psychosocial and Adaptive Deficits Associated With Learning Disability Subtypes.

Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) have deficits in the basic psychological processes that interfere with learning and academic achievement, and for some SLD subtypes, these deficits can also lead to emotional and/or behavior problems. This study examined psychosocial functioning in 123 students, aged 6 to 11, who underwent comprehensive evaluations for learning and/or behavior problems in two Pacific Northwest school districts. Using concordance-discordance model (C-DM) processing strengths and weaknesses SLD identification criteria, results revealed working memory SLD (n = 20), processing speed SLD (n = 30), executive SLD (n = 32), and no disability groups (n = 41).