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Panesi S, Dotti M, Ferlino L. Case Report: A playful digital-analogical rehabilitative intervention to enhance working memory capacity and executive functions in a pre-school child with autism. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1205340. [PMID: 37840786 PMCID: PMC10570721 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1205340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often associated with deficits in Working Memory Capacity (WMC) and Executive Functions (EFs), as early as the first years of life. Research has shown that, even young children with ASD, WMC and EF deficits can be effectively addressed through interventions employing digital and/or analogical tools. Early intervention is important because executive dysfunction can negatively impact on the quality of life, both of children and their families. However, very few studies have been carried out involving intervention with pre-schoolers with ASD. To fill this gap, we developed an intervention that promotes pre-schoolers' WMC and EFs by employing both digital apps and analogical playful activities. This study reports on the feasibility of this intervention, which was carried out in a rehabilitative context. Methods A male pre-schooler diagnosed with ASD was engaged in a total of 17 intervention sessions, all held in a clinical context, over a nine-week period. Outcomes were measured using a battery of pre- and post-treatment tasks focusing on WMC, EFs and receptive language. The clinician who administered the intervention made written observations and noted any improvements in the child's performance emerging from the digital and analogical activities. Results The pre- and post-test scores for the cognitive tasks revealed qualitative improvements in the following cognitive domains: (a) WMC in the language receptive domain; (b) updating in WMC; (c) inhibition, specifically concerning control of motor response; (d) receptive vocabulary. Furthermore, when monitoring the child's performance, the clinician noted improvement in almost all the playful activities. Particularly notable improvements were observed in interaction with the apps, which the child appeared to find very motivating. Conclusion This study supports feasibility of a playful digital-analogical intervention conducted by a clinician in a rehabilitation context to promote cognitive abilities in pre-schoolers with ASD. Further studies are needed to establish whether the intervention's effectiveness can be generalized to a broad sample of children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Panesi
- Institute for Educational Technology of the CNR, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Lucia Ferlino
- Institute for Educational Technology of the CNR, Genoa, Italy
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2
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Güntekin B, Alptekin S, Yıldırım E, Aktürk T, Uzunlar H, Çalışoğlu P, Ada FE, Atay E, Ceran Ö. Immature event-related alpha dynamics in children compared with the young adults during inhibition shown by day-night stroop task. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1218559. [PMID: 37822709 PMCID: PMC10562703 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1218559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Inhibitory control develops gradually from infancy to childhood and improves further during adolescence as the brain matures. Related previous studies showed the indispensable role of task-related alpha power during inhibition both in children and young adults. Nonetheless, none of the studies have been able to investigate the direct differences in brain responses between children and young adults when confronted with a stimulus that should be inhibited. Because, unlike event-related designs, task-related designs involve continuous tasks over a certain period, which precludes the possibility of making such a comparison. Accordingly, by employing event-related design, the present study first time in the literature, aimed to analyze the event-related alpha phase locking and event-related alpha synchronization/ desynchronization to differentiate the inhibitory processes in children compared to young adults. Methods Twenty children between the ages of 6 to 7 years and 20 healthy young adult subjects between the ages of 18 to 30 years were included in the study. Day-night Stroop task was applied to all subjects during 18-channel EEG recordings. Event-related time-frequency analysis was performed with the complex Morlet Wavelet Transform for the alpha frequency band (8-13 Hz). Event related spectral perturbation (ERSP) in three different time windows (0-200 ms, 200-400 ms, 400-600 ms) and Event-related phase locking in the early time window (0-400 ms) was calculated. Results The children had increased alpha power in early and late time windows but decreased alpha phase locking in the early time windows compared to young adults. There were also topological differences between groups; while young adults had increased alpha phase-locking in frontal and parietal electrode sites, children had increased occipital alpha power and phase locking. Discussion The shift in event-related alpha power observed from posterior to anterior regions with age may suggest a progressive maturation of the frontal areas involved in inhibitory processes from childhood to adulthood. The results of the present study showed that children and young adults had different EEG oscillatory dynamics during inhibitory processes at alpha frequency range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahar Güntekin
- Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Neuroscience Research Center, Clinical Electrophysiology, Neuroimaging and Neuromodulation Lab, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Simay Alptekin
- Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Neuroscience Research Center, Clinical Electrophysiology, Neuroimaging and Neuromodulation Lab, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ebru Yıldırım
- Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Neuroscience Research Center, Clinical Electrophysiology, Neuroimaging and Neuromodulation Lab, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Program of Electroneurophysiology, Vocational School, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Tuba Aktürk
- Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Neuroscience Research Center, Clinical Electrophysiology, Neuroimaging and Neuromodulation Lab, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Program of Electroneurophysiology, Vocational School, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Hakan Uzunlar
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Pervin Çalışoğlu
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Figen Eroğlu Ada
- Department of Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Enver Atay
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ömer Ceran
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Türkiye
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Milani A, Pascual-Leone J, Arsalidou M. Converging evidence for domain-general developmental trends of mental attentional capacity: Validity and reliability of full and abbreviated measures. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 222:105462. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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4
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Sources of individual differences in early elementary school science achievement among multilingual and English monolingual children in the U.S. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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5
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Kalliontzi E, Ralli AM, Palikara O, Roussos P. Examining the relationship between oral language skills and executive functions: Evidence from Greek-speaking 4-5-year-old children with and without Developmental Language Disorder. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2022; 124:104215. [PMID: 35298958 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104215] [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: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) have been found to demonstrate low performance in Executive Functions (EFs). However, the evidence-based data is so far scarce, especially for 4-5-year-old children. Most of the existing research involves English-speaking populations, while very few studies have been carried out with non-English-speaking populations. Nevertheless, it is documented that possible differences in the language-cognition relations may exist due to the specific characteristics of each language, and studies across different languages could contribute to the above. AIMS The present study aimed to systematically investigate the profile of oral language and EF skills (verbal and nonverbal) and the way these skills are related with each other in 4-5-year-old Greek-speaking children with and without DLD. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Fifty-three 4-5-year-old children (age range: 51- 57 months) with DLD, and 62 Typically Developing (TD) peers (age range: 51- 57 months) were assessed on a standardized psychometric battery for oral language skills (phonological and morphological awareness, oral language comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, narrative speech and pragmatics) and on a series of verbal (v) and nonverbal (nv) tasks tapping EFs skills (updating-accuracy, inhibition -accuracy and reaction time-, and cognitive flexibility). OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Children with DLD demonstrated statistically significant lower performance across all oral language measures in comparison to their TD peers. Additionally, they performed significantly lower in the updating (nv) task, as well as in cognitive flexibility (v & nv) in comparison to the TD group. Further regression analyses demonstrated that updating (nv), inhibition (nv) and cognitive flexibility (v) predicted oral language comprehension in children with DLD while updating (v & nv), inhibition-reaction time (nv) and cognitive flexibility (v & nv) predicted phonological and morphological awareness, oral language comprehension, narrative speech as well as total language score in TD children. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These results provide important information about the profile of oral language and EF skills in children with DLD compared to their TD peers as well as on the relationship of these skills in both groups. The findings also suggest that improving EFs skills may be a possible way for improving oral language skills in young children with DLD. Our findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical as well as practical implications regarding the diagnostic and intervention procedures for children with DLD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Olympia Palikara
- Department for Education Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Warwick, UK
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On the Relation between the Development of Working Memory Updating and Working Memory Capacity in Preschoolers. J Intell 2022; 10:jintelligence10010005. [PMID: 35225921 PMCID: PMC8883976 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence10010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims at investigating the relationship between working memory updating and working memory capacity in preschool children. A sample of 176 preschoolers (36–74 months) was administered a working memory updating task (Magic House) along with three working memory capacity tests that specifically measure their core attentional component (M capacity, as defined in the theory of constructive operators): Backward Word Span, Mr. Cucumber, and Direction Following Task. Correlational analyses and cross-classification prediction analyses were performed. Updating and capacity were significantly correlated, although the correlations were not high when age was partialled out. Capacity increased with age, and mediated the relation between age and updating. More importantly, cross-classification prediction analysis revealed that high updating scores with low M capacity, and low updating scores with relatively high M capacity, are possible events; the only combination ruled out was a low updating score with precocious development of M capacity. These facts demonstrate that updating skills in preschoolers depends on M capacity but does not coincide with it. Therefore, in cognitive developmental theories, the constructs of working memory updating and capacity should be distinguished, and on practical grounds, different tests should be used to measure them.
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7
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Panesi S, Morra S. The relation between drawing and language in preschoolers: The role of working Memory and executive functions. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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8
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Gagne JR, Barker K, Chang CN, Nwadinobi OK, Kwok OM. A Multi-Theoretical and Multi-Method Family Study Approach to Preschool Inhibitory Control: Links to Working Memory, Receptive Vocabulary, Behavioral Maladjustment, and Parent Mental Health in the Context of Temperament and Executive Functioning Perspectives. Front Psychol 2021; 12:703606. [PMID: 34475839 PMCID: PMC8407072 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.703606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control (IC) is defined as the executive functioning (EF) and self-regulatory temperamental inhibition of impulsive or pre-potent behavior and has been consistently linked to multiple forms of childhood cognitive and socio-emotional maladjustment including academic and learning challenges, externalizing behaviors, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, the results of relevant investigations are somewhat dependent on the method of IC assessment and the theoretical approach of the researcher. The two primary theoretical perspectives on IC are the temperament and the EF approaches, and although there is considerable overlap between these perspectives, there are some distinctions with regard to assessment and emphases on cognition vs. emotion. Therefore, investigations including both temperament and EF approaches to IC are of considerable interest and will best inform future education, prevention, and intervention efforts. This investigation examined associations between child IC, working memory (WM), receptive vocabulary, externalizing behavioral problems, and primary caregiver depression and anxiety symptoms using a family study design. The sample was composed of 99 families with two typically developing preschool children (n = 198; 2.5-5.5 years old; M = 3.88, SD = 1.04) and one primary caregiver/parent. Child IC was assessed using a multi-method approach consisting of one parent-rated questionnaire, three independent observer rating subscales, two videotaped in-person laboratory temperament episodes, and an EF Stroop task. Child WM and receptive vocabulary were measured in the laboratory using standard assessment techniques, and the remaining measures were parent-reported. Male child participants had significantly higher levels of observer-rated hyperactivity and impulsivity, and females had higher levels of observer-rated attention and Stroop-assessed IC. Correlational results showed that excepting IC-Stroop and a snack delay task, all IC measures were significantly correlated. All IC measures except snack delay were positively correlated with WM, and with receptive vocabulary (except Lab-TAB snack delay and observer-rated hyperactivity), and WM and receptive vocabulary were also positively correlated. All IC variables, WM, and receptive vocabulary were significantly related to externalizing behavior problems. Generally, children with higher IC, WM, and receptive vocabulary had lower levels of behavioral maladjustment. Lower parent-rated IC and higher levels of externalizing behavior problems were positively associated with maternal depression and anxiety (lower receptive vocabulary level was related to depression only). Employing structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses, we further examined the interrelationships among IC temperament variables, IC-Stroop, WM, and receptive vocabulary, controlling for age, gender, externalizing behaviors, maternal depression and anxiety, and the parent-rater variance (the multi-method effect). The results of our hypothesized model showed that the IC Temperament factor, composed of the six temperament IC measures, showed a positive effect on receptive vocabulary, while the IC-Stroop positively predicted WM. The IC Temperament factor and IC-Stroop were positively correlated with each other, and the IC Temperament factor, IC-Stroop, WM, and receptive vocabulary were positively related to age. The IC Temperament factor was also associated with fewer externalizing behavior problems, maternal depression had a negative effect on receptive vocabulary, and females showed lower levels of WM and receptive vocabulary than males. Overall, the IC Temperament factor and other covariates together accounted for 22.5% of the variance in vocabulary, whereas IC-Stroop and other controlled variables could explain 49.8% of the variance in WM. These findings indicate that theoretical perspectives (in this case temperament and EF IC contexts) and the different types of assessments used are crucial considerations when interpreting the results of studies of early childhood IC. Although most assessments of IC were associated with the outcomes under study, we found specific associations between temperament measures of IC and receptive vocabulary as well as externalizing, and IC-Stroop and WM. In addition, maternal depression had an effect on receptive vocabulary, emphasizing the developmental importance of family environment in preschool. These findings are relevant to the field of child development because they address several important questions about child EF and self-regulation. 1. Do temperament and EF conceptions of IC differentially predict outcomes? 2. How does the way we measure IC from the EF and self-regulation/temperament perspectives impact our conceptualizations of these important constructs? 3. How can we reconcile the various ways different disciplines define IC and their independence/overlap? 4. How can multi-method and multi-disciplinary perspectives and data collection approaches be combined to better understand both the temperament and EF conceptions of IC? Future studies with this sample will employ this multi-theoretical and multi-method approach on assessment in preschool to predict temperament, EF, and behavioral and academic adjustment in elementary school longitudinally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R Gagne
- Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Kaelyn Barker
- Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Chi-Ning Chang
- KU Life Span Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Ogechi K Nwadinobi
- Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Oi-Man Kwok
- Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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Reindl E, Parkash D, Völter CJ, Seed AM. Thinking inside the box: Mental manipulation of working memory contents in 3- to 7-year-old children. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2021; 59:None. [PMID: 34475632 PMCID: PMC8388847 DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
We developed a non-verbal task assessing updating and manipulation of working memory contents. 80 3- to 7-year-olds (47 girls; predominantly European White) were tested with a 4 × 4 grid containing 8 boxes (in the 4 centre cells and 4 outer corners). A sticker was hidden and children searched for it after a delay phase. In the updating trials, the grid was rotated during delays, in the manipulation trials, the grid was both occluded and rotated. Rewards were hidden in either the inner or outer boxes (between-subjects design). Performance was affected by age, rotation degree and hiding condition. Performance was better in outer boxes trials, where visual tracking was easier. Occluded inner trials added a substantial cognitive load (which increased with degree of rotation), resulting in children performing at chance level, suggesting that manipulation involving mental rotation is a distinct skill from tracking invisible object displacement, with a more protracted development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Reindl
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Divya Parkash
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Christoph Johannes Völter
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
- Comparative Cognition Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Amanda Madeleine Seed
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
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10
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Benso F, Moretti S, Bellazzini V, Benso E, Ardu E, Gazzellini S. Principles of Integrated Cognitive Training for Executive Attention: Application to an Instrumental Skill. Front Psychol 2021; 12:647749. [PMID: 34239477 PMCID: PMC8258243 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
One effective cognitive treatment is the rehabilitation of working memory (WM) using an integrated approach that targets the “executive attention” system. Recent neuroscientific literature has revealed that treatment efficacy depends on the presence of various features, such as adaptivity, empathy, customization, avoidance of automatism and stereotypies, and alertness activation. Over the last two decades, an Integrated Cognitive Training (ICT) protocol has been proposed and developed; ICT takes the above-mentioned features and existing literature into account, and has been used to promote the development of reading skills. ICT has been employed in several clinical settings and involves stimulation of a specific deteriorated system (e.g., reading) and the improvement of executive attention components, thus also increasing working memory capacity. In this context, we present two experiments. In Experiment 1, participants diagnosed with dyslexia (aged between 8 and 14 years) underwent two ICT sessions a week, with home supplements, for a duration of 7 months. The participants showed a significant improvement in the reading speed of text, words, and non-words, and in the reading accuracy of text and non-words. In Experiment 2, we replicated Experiment 1, but included a comparison between two groups (experimental group vs. control group) of young participants with diagnosis of dyslexia. The experimental group was subjected to 18 ICT sessions twice a week and with home supplements, using the same protocol as in Experiment 1. The control group was entrusted to the protocol of compensatory tools and dispense/helping procedures provided by the scholastic Personalized Educational Plan. After training, the experimental group gained about 0.5 syllables per second in text reading, and a marked decrease in error rate. The control group showed no significant improvement in reading skills after the same period. Moreover, the improvement observed in the experimental group remained stable 4 months after ICT had ended. The results of these two experiments support the efficacy of the integrated ICT protocol in improving reading skills in children with dyslexia and its sustained effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Benso
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.,ANCCRI, Associazione Neuroscienze Cognitive Clinica Ricerca e Intervento, Genova, Italy.,AIDAI Liguria, Associazione Italiana per i Disturbi di Attenzione e Iperattività, Liguria, Italy
| | - Sandra Moretti
- ANCCRI, Associazione Neuroscienze Cognitive Clinica Ricerca e Intervento, Genova, Italy.,AIDAI Liguria, Associazione Italiana per i Disturbi di Attenzione e Iperattività, Liguria, Italy.,ASL 5, Azienda Sanitaria Locale, La Spezia, Italy
| | - Veronica Bellazzini
- ANCCRI, Associazione Neuroscienze Cognitive Clinica Ricerca e Intervento, Genova, Italy.,AIDAI Liguria, Associazione Italiana per i Disturbi di Attenzione e Iperattività, Liguria, Italy
| | - Eva Benso
- ANCCRI, Associazione Neuroscienze Cognitive Clinica Ricerca e Intervento, Genova, Italy
| | - Eleonora Ardu
- ANCCRI, Associazione Neuroscienze Cognitive Clinica Ricerca e Intervento, Genova, Italy
| | - Simone Gazzellini
- Department of Intensive and Robotic Neurorehabilitation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital Institute of Recovery and Care Caracterized by Research, Rome, Italy
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11
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Panesi S, Morra S. Executive Function, Language, and the Toddler's Discovery of Representational Drawing. Front Psychol 2021; 12:659569. [PMID: 34149550 PMCID: PMC8209489 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.659569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory capacity and executive functions play important roles in the early development of drawing and language, but we lack models that specify the relationships among these representational systems and cognitive functions in toddlers. To respond to this need, the present study investigated the relations between drawing and language in very young children, and the role of working memory capacity, inhibition, and shifting in the association between these two representational systems. The participants were 80 children, 25–37 months old. The results revealed that in toddlers (a) all the measures of working memory, inhibition, and shifting loaded on a single factor of general executive functioning; (b) language and drawing are two distinct, but substantially correlated, representational systems; and (c) the development of executive function has a strong impact on language development, which in turn influences the development of drawing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Panesi
- DiSFor (Department of Education), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy.,National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Educational Technology, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sergio Morra
- DiSFor (Department of Education), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
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12
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Himi SA, Bühner M, Hilbert S. Advancing the Understanding of the Factor Structure of Executive Functioning. J Intell 2021; 9:jintelligence9010016. [PMID: 33809636 PMCID: PMC8006229 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence9010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been considerable debate and interest regarding the factor structure of executive functioning (EF). Therefore, the aim of the current study was to delve into this issue differently, by investigating EF and other cognitive constructs, such as working memory capacity (WMC), relational integration, and divided attention, which may contribute to EF. Here, we examined whether it is possible to provide evidence for a definite model of EF containing the components of updating, shifting, and inhibition. For this purpose, 202 young adults completed a battery of EF, three WMC tests, three relational integration tests, and two divided attention tests. A confirmatory factor analysis on all the cognitive abilities produced a five-factor structure, which included one factor predominately containing shifting tasks, the next factor containing two updating tasks, the third one predominately representing WMC, the fourth factor consisting of relational integration and antisaccade tasks, and finally, the last factor consisting of the divided attention and stop signal tasks. Lastly, a subsequent hierarchical model supported a higher-order factor, thereby representing general cognitive ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samsad Afrin Himi
- Department of Psychology, Jagannath University, Dhaka 1100, Bangladesh
- Psychological Methods and Assessment, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstraße 13, 80802 Munich, Germany;
- Correspondence: (S.A.H.); (S.H.)
| | - Markus Bühner
- Psychological Methods and Assessment, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Leopoldstraße 13, 80802 Munich, Germany;
| | - Sven Hilbert
- Educational Science and Sport Science, Faculty of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Correspondence: (S.A.H.); (S.H.)
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13
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A working memory span task for toddlers. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 63:101550. [PMID: 33677224 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study presents a new working memory measure for toddlers, inspired by the Spin-the-Pots (Hughes & Ensor, 2005), which we modified structuring it as a memory span task. As in the original task, we required toddlers to retrieve objects hidden in little boxes; however, in our Memory Span Spin-the-Pots (MSSP) we used smaller numbers of targets, and we systematically manipulated memory load, covering or not the display, and rotating it or not. Two experiments involved participants between 18 months and three years. In Experiment 1 we examined the effects of covering and rotation on toddlers' memory. Either covering or rotating the stimuli hindered their performance, and combining both transformations yielded an under-additive interaction. Moreover, the effect of covering decreased in the second half of the procedure. In Experiment 2 we validated the MSSP as a working memory measure by comparing it with the Imitation Sorting Task (IST; Alp, 1994). We found that the MSSP correlated with the IST, also with age partialled out, although the IST was easier. In both experiments, the scores increased with age. Overall, this research sheds light on some variables that affect toddlers' performance on the MSSP, and shows that it can be used as a valid working memory measure for toddlers. The results are discussed considering the attentional processes presumably involved.
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14
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Guerra A, Hazin I, Guerra Y, Roulin JL, Le Gall D, Roy A. Developmental Profile of Executive Functioning in School-Age Children From Northeast Brazil. Front Psychol 2021; 11:596075. [PMID: 33536970 PMCID: PMC7848892 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.596075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of executive functions (EF) is recognizably correlated to culture, contextual and social factors. However, studies considering all the basic EF are still scarce in Brazil, most notably in the Northeast region, which is known for its social inequality and economic gap. This study aimed to analyze the developmental trajectories and structure of four EF, namely inhibition, flexibility, working memory and planning. In addition, the potential effects of socioeconomic status (SES) and gender were examined. The sample included 230 Brazilian children between 7-12 years old, homogeneously distributed by age, gender and type of school. The EF were assessed through the Brazilian version of the Child Executive Functions Battery (CEF-B). A global effect of age was found for most of the EF measures evaluated. Gender effect was mostly non-significant, except for 4 of the 12 tasks. There was a significant SES effect on 8 tasks, all in favor of private school children. Exploratory factorial and correlation analysis showed a 4-factor EF structure, corroborating the theoretical distribution considered in the CEF-B. A developmental progression is evident in the results for all of the EF measures evaluated. While gender had little influence on EF, SES seems to significantly impact the development of EF. As normative data are still lacking in Northeast Brazil, this study may help to understand EF development trajectories and provide tools for neuropsychological evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Guerra
- Programa de Pós-Graduação de Psicologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,Laboratoire de psychologie des Pays de la Loire (EA 4638), Université d'Angers, Angers, France
| | - Izabel Hazin
- Departamento de Psicologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Yasmin Guerra
- Departamento de Psicologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Jean-Luc Roulin
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition (UMR 5105), Université de Savoie Mont Blanc, Chambéry, France
| | - Didier Le Gall
- Laboratoire de psychologie des Pays de la Loire (EA 4638), Université d'Angers, Angers, France
| | - Arnaud Roy
- Laboratoire de psychologie des Pays de la Loire (EA 4638), Université d'Angers, Angers, France.,Centre Référent des Troubles d'Apprentissage, Centre de Compétence Nantais de Neurofibromatose, Hôpital Femme-Enfant-Adolescent, CHU de Nantes, Nantes, France
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15
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Urraca-Martínez M, Sastre-Riba S. Cognitive Flexibility in Schoolchild Through the Graphic Representation of Movement. Front Psychol 2021; 11:624922. [PMID: 33519655 PMCID: PMC7838541 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.624922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroconstructivism postulates the progressive complexity of mental representation over the course of cognitive development and the role of the graphic representation of movement in the transformation of mental schemas, cognitive flexibility, and representational complexity. This study aims to: (1) understand children's resources in the drawing of movement (5-8 years); and (2) verify whether there are differences in the graphic representation of movement as an indicator of cognitive flexibility. The participants were N = 240 children aged 5-8 years; 1,440 drawings were collected representing 2,880 characters (both animate and inanimate) from six stories. The analysis consisted: (1) data quality control, using the kappa coefficient, and Generalizability Theory to test the instrument's validity and reliability; (2) Multivariate General Analysis and Mixed Linear Analysis of the factors (age and stories); (3) Multivariate General Analysis of the graphic components: categories and microcategories, as well as the elements that make up the macrocategories: "Static," "Indication," and "Movement"; and (4) calculation of the generalizability coefficient (G-coefficient). The results show that: (a) age best explains variability, with a high effect size (η 2 = 0.732) across all components (F = 153.445; p < 0.001), thus increasing its complexity and (b) at ages 6 and 7, "Indication" appears as a modulator of "Static" (age 5) toward "Movement" (age 8). The generalizability coefficient is optimal (0.995). It is concluded that changes in the initial graphic representation of movement may interactively transform mental representation, thus increasing cognitive flexibility and prompting teaching applications to optimize such changes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sylvia Sastre-Riba
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of La Rioja, Logroño, Spain
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16
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Panesi S, Bocconi S, Ferlino L. Promoting Students' Well-Being and Inclusion in Schools Through Digital Technologies: Perceptions of Students, Teachers, and School Leaders in Italy Expressed Through SELFIE Piloting Activities. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1563. [PMID: 32848988 PMCID: PMC7406787 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Digital technology in its various forms is a significant component of our working environment and lifestyles. However, there is a broad difference between using digital technologies in everyday life and employing them in formal education. Digital technologies have largely untapped potential for improving education and fostering students' well-being and inclusion at school. To bring this to fruition, systemic and coordinated actions involving the whole school community are called for. To help schools exploit the full range of opportunities digital technologies offer for learning, the European Commission has designed and implemented a self-reflection tool called SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering Innovation through Educational Technology). Based on the DigCompOrg conceptual framework, SELFIE encompasses key aspects for effectively integrating digital technologies in school policies and practices. The present study investigates how SELFIE can also support the school community to self-reflect about students' well-being and inclusion. In Italy, the SELFIE online questionnaire has been completed by 24,715 students, 5,690 teachers, and 1,507 school leaders, for a total of 31,912 users from 201 schools (at primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary levels) located in 10 different regions. The complementary data we have collected regarding student well-being and inclusion highlight significant differences in the perceptions on this issue reported by students, teachers, and school leaders. These findings have important implications for facilitating successful practices within the whole school community in order to promote students' well-being and inclusion using educational technologies, as well as for planning future actions following a systemic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Panesi
- Institute for Educational Technology, National Research Council of Italy, Genova, Italy
| | - Stefania Bocconi
- Institute for Educational Technology, National Research Council of Italy, Genova, Italy
| | - Lucia Ferlino
- Institute for Educational Technology, National Research Council of Italy, Genova, Italy
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