1
|
Bonti E, Zerva IK, Koundourou C, Sofologi M. The High Rates of Comorbidity among Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Reconsidering the Clinical Utility of Distinct Diagnostic Categories. J Pers Med 2024; 14:300. [PMID: 38541042 PMCID: PMC10971064 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14030300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The boundaries between neurodevelopmental disorders are often indistinct, even among specialists. But do these boundaries exist, or do experts struggle to distinguish and categorize symptoms in order to arrive at a dominant diagnosis while comorbidity continually leaves questions about where each disorder ends and begins? What should be reconsidered? The introduction of the term 'spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders' could pave the way for a re-appraisal of the clinical continuum of neurodevelopmental disorders. This study aims to highlight the problems that emerge in the field of the differential diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders and propose a renegotiation of the distinctiveness criteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Bonti
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Pavlos Melas, 564 29 Agios Pavlos, Greece;
- School of Education, Special Education Department, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus
| | - Irini K. Zerva
- School of Education, Special Education Department, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christiana Koundourou
- Psychology Department, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Paphos 8042, Cyprus; (C.K.); (M.S.)
| | - Maria Sofologi
- Psychology Department, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Paphos 8042, Cyprus; (C.K.); (M.S.)
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Education School, University of Ioannina, 451 10 Ioannina, Greece
- Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University Research Center of Ioannina (URCI), 451 10 Ioannina, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Webber C, Patel H, Cunningham A, Fox A, Vousden J, Castles A, Shapiro L. An experimental comparison of additional training in phoneme awareness, letter-sound knowledge and decoding for struggling beginner readers. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 94:282-305. [PMID: 37984992 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite evidence that synthetic phonics teaching has increased reading attainments, a sizable minority of children struggle to acquire phonics skills and teachers lack clear principles for deciding what types of additional support are most beneficial. Synthetic phonics teaches children to read using a decoding strategy to translate letters into sounds and blend them (e.g., c-a-t = "k - ae - t" = "cat"). To use a decoding strategy, children require letter-sound knowledge (LSK) and the ability to blend sound units (phonological awareness; PA). Training on PA has been shown to benefit struggling beginning readers. However, teachers in English primary schools do not routinely check PA. Instead, struggling beginner readers usually receive additional LSK support. AIMS Until now, there has been no systematic comparison of the effectiveness of training on each component of the decoding process. Should additional support for struggling readers focus on improving PA, or on supplementary LSK and/or decoding instruction? We aim to increase understanding of the roles of LSK and PA in children's acquisition of phonics skills and uncover which types of additional training are most likely to be effective for struggling beginner readers. SAMPLE AND METHOD We will compare training on each of these components, using a carefully controlled experimental design. We will identify reception-age children at risk of reading difficulties (target n = 225) and randomly allocate them to either PA, LSK or decoding (DEC) training. We will test whether training type influences post-test performance on word reading and whether any effects depend on participants' pre-test PA and/or LSK. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Two hundred and twenty-two participants completed the training. Planned analyses showed no effects of condition on word reading. However, exploratory analyses indicated that the advantage of trained over untrained words was significantly greater for the PA and DEC conditions. There was also a significantly greater improvement in PA for the DEC condition. Overall, our findings suggest a potential advantage of training that includes blending skills, particularly when decoding words that had been included in training. Future research is needed to develop a programme of training on blending skills combined with direct vocabulary instruction for struggling beginner readers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Webber
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, School of Psychology, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Moray House School of Eucation and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Hetal Patel
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, School of Psychology, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Anna Cunningham
- Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - Amy Fox
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, School of Psychology, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Psychology and Human Development, Institute of Education, Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, London, UK
| | - Janet Vousden
- Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - Anne Castles
- Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Laura Shapiro
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, School of Psychology, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Verwimp C, Tijms J, Snellings P, Haslbeck JMB, Wiers RW. A network approach to dyslexia: Mapping the reading network. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:1011-1025. [PMID: 34311796 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Research on the etiology of dyslexia typically uses an approach based on a single core deficit, failing to understand how variations in combinations of factors contribute to reading development and how this combination relates to intervention outcome. To fill this gap, this study explored links between 28 cognitive, environmental, and demographic variables related to dyslexia by employing a network analysis using a large clinical database of 1,257 elementary school children. We found two highly connected subparts in the network: one comprising reading fluency and accuracy measures, and one comprising intelligence-related measures. Interestingly, phoneme awareness was functionally related to the controlled and accurate processing of letter-speech sound mappings, whereas rapid automatized naming was more functionally related to the automated convergence of visual and speech information. We found evidence for the contribution of a variety of factors to (a)typical reading development, though associated with different aspects of the reading process. As such, our results contradict prevailing claims that dyslexia is caused by a single core deficit. This study shows how the network approach to psychopathology can be used to study complex interactions within the reading network and discusses future directions for more personalized interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cara Verwimp
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Rudolf Berlin Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- RID, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jurgen Tijms
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Rudolf Berlin Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- RID, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick Snellings
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Rudolf Berlin Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jonas M B Haslbeck
- Department of Psychological Methods, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Reinout W Wiers
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Studer-Luethi B, Toermaenen M, Margelisch K, Hogrefe AB, Perrig WJ. Effects of Working Memory Training on Children’s Memory and Academic Performance: the Role of Training Task Features and Trainee’s Characteristics. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-022-00242-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Learning and academic performance are explained mainly by basic limited-capacity processes, most notably by working memory (WM). Consequently, training WM has been considered a promising approach to fostering these abilities. However, school-based investigations are rare. This study examined the effects of training task features and trainees’ characteristics on transfer to cognitive and academic measures. Eighty-six typically developing 8–12-year-old children completed 6 weeks of either WM training with n-back and complex span tasks or a control training with perceptual-matching tasks in a regular school setting. The study also assessed some personal variables of the children, such as neuroticism, conscientiousness, joy of learning, and power of endurance. The WM training group showed increased WM and math performance compared to the control group. Also, there was a trend toward some improvements in vocabulary after WM training, and overall improvements after both trainings were observed in fluid intelligence and reading. Analyses of individual differences in the WM training group indicated increased training performance in relation to emotional stability, conscientiousness, power of endurance, as well as teacher-reported joy of learning and social integration of participants. Thus, the results indicate the potential of WM training to improve WM capacity and mathematical skills and reveal the impact of regulative, motivational, and social factors on cognitive training performance.
Collapse
|
5
|
Mirahadi SS, Nitsche MA, Pahlavanzadeh B, Mohamadi R, Ashayeri H, Abolghasemi J. Reading and phonological awareness improvement accomplished by transcranial direct current stimulation combined with phonological awareness training: A randomized controlled trial. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2022; 12:137-149. [PMID: 35298314 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2022.2051144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Phonological awareness (PA) training is a core intervention in dyslexia. Recently, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been probed as a complementary intervention for increasing reading ability in dyslexia, but not for enhancing the efficacy of PA. The aim of the current study was thus to examine whether tDCS combined with a PA intervention improves reading, but also PA abilities as a proxy in children with dyslexia. A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial was performed to assess the effects of tDCS (applied bilaterally over the temporo-parietal junction with the anode placed over the left, and the cathode placed over the right hemisphere) combined with PA training on reading and PA abilities in dyslexic patients. Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned to active (PA + anodal tDCS) or sham (PA + sham tDCS) groups. Each subject participated in 15 treatment sessions. PA and real/non-word reading were evaluated at baseline before the intervention, at the end of the fifth, tenth, and final intervention sessions, and then 6 weeks after intervention. In the active tDCS group, the mean scores of non-word reading and PA tests were significantly improved during, immediately, and 6 weeks after the treatment, as compared to the sham tDCS group. tDCS is thus a promising complementary intervention if combined with PA training to enhance PA and reading abilities in dyslexia for an extended period after treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seyyedeh Samaneh Mirahadi
- Department of Speech and Language Pathology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Michael A Nitsche
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Bagher Pahlavanzadeh
- Department of Public Health, Research Center for Environmental Contaminants, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
| | - Reyhane Mohamadi
- Department of Speech and Language Pathology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hasan Ashayeri
- Department of Basic Sciences in Rehabilitation, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamile Abolghasemi
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Parental Attitudes and Awareness of Sustainable Energy Consumption in the Opinion of Young People with Autistic-Spectrum Disorder (ASD); Implications for the Family Budget. ENERGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/en15051730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Energy efficiency through energy saving is a key trend in the modern world. Analyses have been conducted by scientists in different fields on various target groups that influence sustainable energy consumption. The aim of the research presented in this article is to determine the association between parental attitudes and awareness of sustainable energy consumption in the perception of young people with ASD (13–17 years old). This was a pilot study. The diagnostic-survey method was used, along with The Scale of Parental Attitudes by M. Plopa and an authored survey questionnaire. Deliberate random sampling was applied. A statistical analysis showed a relationship between the acceptance attitude of both parents and the autonomy attitude of one parent—the father—and awareness of sustainable energy consumption among young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In addition, a critical literature review confirmed the necessity of combining energy awareness and financial awareness, as each aspect, in terms of energy savings, reflects the financial situation of the household and influences the household budget. This is extremely important in the case of vulnerable groups such as households with a person with a disability (e.g., children with ASD). This research is interdisciplinary and covers important scientific fields such as pedagogy, psychology, and economics.
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
Zusammenfassung. Etwa jedes dritte Kind in Deutschland leidet im Laufe der Grundschule unter besonderen Lernschwierigkeiten beim Erwerb von Lesen, Rechtschreiben und Rechnen. Mindestens jedes achte Grundschulkind erfüllt sogar die Kriterien der Weltgesundheitsorganisation für die Vergabe der Diagnose „Lernstörung“. In diesem Beitrag wird erläutert, was unter Lernstörungen im Einzelnen zu verstehen ist und was über die biogenetischen und sozialen (einschließlich didaktischen) Risiken für das Entstehen von Lernstörungen bekannt ist. Außerdem wird auf den Forschungsstand zu der Frage eingegangen, welche eingeschränkten kognitiven Funktionen mit einem hohen individuellen Risiko für das Entstehen einer Lernstörung einhergehen. Es folgt ein Überblick über den Forschungsstand zu (vorschulischen) Präventionsansätzen, die sich als wirksam zur Vermeidung von Lernstörungen erwiesen haben, und zur Frage, welche Interventionsansätze bei Auftreten besonderer Lernschwierigkeiten beim Erwerb von Schriftsprache und Mathematik in der Schule am ehesten geeignet sind, diese zu überwinden. Darauf aufbauend werden abschließend Vorschläge zu einer sequentiellen Strategie für die weitgehende Vermeidung von Lernstörungen und ihren negativen Langzeitfolgen unterbreitet und die Potenziale digitaler diagnosebasierter Förderprogramme diskutiert.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Hasselhorn
- DIPF
- Leibniz-Institut für Bildungsforschung und Bildungsinformation, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Shavaki YA, Weisi F, Kamali M, Soleymani Z, Kashani ZA, Rashedi V. Developing a programme for training phonological awareness and assessment of its effectiveness on reading skills of elementary first graders with cochlear implant. Niger Postgrad Med J 2021; 28:291-297. [PMID: 34850758 DOI: 10.4103/npmj.npmj_648_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Background The current study aimed to develop a comprehensive phonological awareness intervention to train all levels of phonological awareness skills and to investigate its effect on the reading abilities of cochlear implanted children. Materials and Methods This study was the single-subject intervention. Phonological awareness intervention programme was developed and validated by experts' opinions. Six elementary first graders with cochlear implants and weak or delayed reading development, in 5-7-year-old range, were trained in phonological awareness skills. 'Auditory test of phonological awareness skills' was used to evaluate the subjects' phonological awareness skills. Nama reading test was also used to determine the level of reading performance. Results The results showed that all six subjects with cochlear implants had improvements of both phonological awareness skills and reading skills after participating in the phonological awareness intervention programme. This improvement was not only observed immediately after intervention but was also preserved in follow-up. Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrated the importance of planning an intervention programme about phonological awareness skills for elementary first graders with cochlear implant, and the important role of such an intervention programme in improving their performance in phonological awareness tasks, and then in reading tasks consequently. The importance of improvement in these skills could considerably affect these children's linguistic and psychological abilities, which may facilitate their education at higher grades.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoones Amiri Shavaki
- Department of Speech and Language Pathology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzad Weisi
- Department of Speech and Language Pathology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Kamali
- Department of Rehabilitation Management, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Soleymani
- Department of Speech and Language Pathology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zohre Arani Kashani
- Department of Speech and Language Pathology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahid Rashedi
- Department of Gerontology, School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health (Tehran Institute of Psychiatry), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hodgins H, Harrison GL. Improving phonological awareness with Talking Tables in at-risk kindergarten readers. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2021; 115:103996. [PMID: 34116299 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND For young children experiencing phonological awareness (PA) difficulties, the need for early and targeted intervention to prevent reading disability is unequivocal. There are very few studies, however, on the efficacy of PA interventions delivered at school. AIMS This study examined the impact of an early PA intervention embedded within an oral language program designed for at-risk kindergartners. METHODS Using a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design, at-risk readers from four schools received either the 10-week intervention in small groups, three times a week for 30 min as a supplement to the regular classroom curriculum or served as controls not participating in the intervention and receiving the usual classroom instruction. RESULTS Children in the intervention group demonstrated a greater use of phonological awareness at posttest on overall composites of phonological processing, and on several individual accuracy and fluency measures targeting skills at the phoneme level. CONCLUSIONS The results add to accumulating evidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of teacher-delivered school-based early literacy interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Hodgins
- Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, University of Victoria, Canada
| | - Gina L Harrison
- Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, University of Victoria, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Engel de Abreu PMJ, Fricke S, Wealer C. Effects of an Early Literacy Intervention for Linguistically Diverse Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Front Psychol 2020; 11:569854. [PMID: 33132978 PMCID: PMC7550413 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.569854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phonological awareness and letter-sound knowledge underpin children’s early literacy acquisition. Promoting these foundational skills in kindergarten should therefore lead to a better response to formal literacy instruction once started. The present study evaluated a 12-week early literacy intervention for linguistically diverse children who are learning to read in German. The study was set in Luxembourg where kindergarten education is in Luxembourgish and children learn to read in German in Grade 1 of primary school. One hundred and eighty-nine children (mean age = 5;8 years) were assigned to an early literacy intervention in Luxembourgish or to a business as usual control group. Trained teachers delivered the intervention to entire classes, four times a week, during the last year of kindergarten. The early literacy program included direct instruction in phonological awareness and letter-knowledge, while promoting print and book awareness and literacy engagement. Children were assessed pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention and at a 9 months delayed follow-up using measures in Luxembourgish and in German. At the end of the intervention, children in the intervention group performed significantly better than the control group on phonological awareness and letter-knowledge measures in Luxembourgish and the gains in phonological awareness were maintained at 9 months follow-up. The effects generalized to measures of phonological awareness, word-level reading comprehension and spelling in German (effect sizes d > 0.25), but not to German single word/pseudoword reading, at delayed follow-up. Intervention programs designed to support foundational literacy skills can be successfully implemented by regular teachers in a play-based kindergarten context. The findings suggest that early literacy intervention before school entry can produce educationally meaningful effects in linguistically diverse learners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Silke Fricke
- Division of Human Communication Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Cyril Wealer
- Institute for Research on Multilingualism, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.,Division of Human Communication Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|