Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The literature has shown a strong relationship between executive dysfunction and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), although there is no consensus on which subprocesses of executive functioning are impaired and/or preserved in this condition. This study aimed to investigate executive function and working memory in children and adolescents with ASD (n= 11) compared to children and adolescents with typical development (n= 19) matched by age, formal education, and nonverbal IQ. The tests used were: Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices, Stroop Test, Trail Making Test, Rey’s Complex Figure Test, Digit span, Pseudowords span, Working memory, Verbal fluency (orthographic and semantic) and Go/no go. The results demonstrate impairment of executive function in the clinical group, especially in planning, flexibility, inhibition, and also visuospatial working memory.

The role of interstimulus interval and “Stimulus‐type” in prepotent response inhibition abilities in people with ASD: A quantitative and qualitative review

“…This indicates that age did not have a moderating effect. IQ was mostly reported as a Wechsler scaled IQ, with exception of three studies that used Raven's test (Adams & Jarrold, ; Czermainski, dos Santos Riesgo, Guimaraes, de Salles, & Bosa, ; Sanderson & Allen, ). The moderating effect of IQ was examined only on the studies reporting Wechsler scaled IQ.…”

Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure – copy and immediate recall (3 minutes): Normative data for Spanish-speaking pediatric populations

“…Using these norms, the performance of each child can be assessed in a more exact and standardized manner according to their age, gender, and the education of their parent(s). The creation of standardized norms will improve neuropsychological evaluation and diagnosis both in normal and clinical populations, since deficits are usually present in children with learning disabilities (Kirkwood, Weiler, Bernstein, Forbes, & Waber, 2001), brain injury (Verger et al, 2000), autism (Czermainski, Riesgo, Guimarães, Salles, & Bosa, 2014), and attention and hyperactivity disorder (Rizzutti et al, 2008), among others. Furthermore, norms to value the neuropsychological performance of children with impairments will inform their prognostic course and facilitate the implementation of cognitive rehabilitation programs among populations who may benefit.…”

Neupsilin-Inf em um Modelo de Avaliação Neuropsicológica Breve para Centros de Saúde

“…Além dos achados anteriores de validade clínica do instrumento para diferenciar crianças com dificuldades de leitura no nível da palavra (Zamo & Salles 2013), de compreensão textual (Corso et al, 2013) e com TEA (Czermainski et al, 2014), mais uma vez se identifica a validade clínica do NEUPSILIN-inf agora com queixas de possíveis problemas de desenvolvimento que procuram um serviço de saúde. E ainda, as tarefas do NEUPSILIN--Inf mostraram correlação positiva significativa com a medida de desempenho intelectual, avaliado pelo QI estimado, resultados similares mostrados por Silvestrin et al (2015).…”