Growth status, behavior and neuropsychological performance: a study of Brazilian school age children

Abstract

Growth retardation -as measured by low heightfor-age -during infancy and early childhood has been found to have a strong adverse effect on cognitive function in late childhood [1][2][3] . However, less is known about relationships between growth impairment and behavior and neuropsychological performance. In Brazil, to a large extent, research in child neuropsychology has been hindered by the lack of normative data for neurobehavioral assessment in children 4 . Earlier research of the first author has focused on the development of normative data for neuropsychological instruments used in the assessment of children in Brazil such as the Conners Abbreviated Teacher Rating Scale 5 , the Teacher Rating Scale-Brazil (TRS-B) 6 , the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory 7-8 , the Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Teacher Rating Scale-Brazil (ADHD-DSM-IIIR-B) 9 , the Steadiness Test and the Purdue Pegboard 10 . The ABSTRACT -Aim: To assess the association between child growth and teacher-reported behavior and academic standing, and neuropsychological performance. Method: The heights of 344 public-school children were measured using standard procedures. Teachers were requested to complete two behavioral and one academic performance rating scales. Neuropsychological assessment consisted of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, the Steadiness Test and the Purdue Pegboard. Height-for-age z (HAZ) scores were calculated based on an international reference. Standard (z) scores for each factor of the first two behavioral rating scales and for each neuropsychological variable were computed for each child based on locally-derived norms. Results: HAZ scores were negatively correlated with factors related to hyperactivity, conduct problem, impulsivity and inattention of the behavioral rating scales. In addition, the lower the HAZ score the worse the academic performance. Conclusion: These results add to the existing evidence indicating a strong association between growth status and child behavior and academic performance. GROWTH STATUS, BEHAVIOR AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCEKEY WORDS: child growth, hyperactivity, inattention, conduct problem, neurobehavior.Crescimento, comportamento e desempenho neuropsicológico: estudo de escolares brasileiros RESUMO -Objetivo: Examinar a associação entre crescimento, comportamento na sala de aula, rendimento acadêmico e desempenho neuropsicológico em escolares. Método: A estatura de 344 escolares da rede pú-blica de Niterói foi medida através de procedimentos padronizados. Os professores preencheram duas escalas de avaliação comportamental e uma escala de avaliação do rendimento acadêmico. O exame neuropsicológico incluiu o Inventário da Preferência Manual de Edimburgo, o Teste do Equilíbrio da Haste e a Prancha de Purdue. Escores padronizados da estatura para a idade (HAZ) foram calculados com base em referên-cia internacional. Escores padronizados (z) dos fatores das duas escalas de avaliação comportamental e das variáveis neuropsicológicas foram computados para cada criança com base em norm...

Growth status and academic performance in Brazilian school age children: growth retardation impairs mathematical, but not reading and spelling abilities

“…The specificity of the effect of growth status on the p e rf o rmance of the arithmetic subtest was confirm e d by multiple regression analysis of the data. The evidence herein presented taken in conjunction with the data of Brito and deOnis 5 suggests that the specific effect of growth impairment on competency in arithmetic is mediated by the behavioral domains Hyperactivity/Conduct Problem and Inattention. Such a suggestion would be in line with the evidence that poor attentional control is disruptive to mathematical procedures 6,7 .…”

“…In addition, that re p o rt 5 also showed a significant association between HAZ and teacher's ratings of academic perf o rmance; the lower the HAZ the worse the rating of academic perf o rmance. However, the instruments used in that study 5 could not determ i n e whether the association between growth status and academic perf o rmance was of a general nature or specific to reading, spelling or arithmetic. More o v e r, the qualitative rating of academic perf o rmance used in Brito and deOnis 5 impeded a more precise quantitative evaluation of the association of growth status and academic achievement.…”

“…However, the instruments used in that study 5 could not determ i n e whether the association between growth status and academic perf o rmance was of a general nature or specific to reading, spelling or arithmetic. More o v e r, the qualitative rating of academic perf o rmance used in Brito and deOnis 5 impeded a more precise quantitative evaluation of the association of growth status and academic achievement. The data presented h e reindicate that this association is specific to arithmetic and, additionally, show that children with HAZs lower than -1.5 perf o rmsignificantly worse than child ren with HAZs higher than -1.5 on the arithmetic but not on the reading and spelling subtests of TDA3.…”

“…In addition, the qualitative rating of academic perf o rmance in the re p o rt of Brito and deOnis 5 impedes a more precise quantitative evaluation of the effects of growth status on academic achievement. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of growth status on the academic standing of school children in the greater metro p o litan area of Rio de Janeiro as assessed by an achievement test composed of Spelling, Arithmetic and Reading subtests.…”

“…The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of growth status on the academic standing of school children in the greater metro p o litan area of Rio de Janeiro as assessed by an achievement test composed of Spelling, Arithmetic and Reading subtests. On the basis of the findings that g rowth status is associated with hyperactive/conduct p roblem and inattentive behaviors 5 and that poor attentional control can disrupt mathematical pro c ed u re s 6 , 7 , it was hypothetized that growth impairm e n t m o re likely interf e res with arithmetic (numeracy) abilities in comparison with reading and spelling (literacy).…”