Caregiver Report of Executive Functioning in a Population-Based Sample of Young Children With Down Syndrome

Abstract

The current study describes everyday executive function (EF) profiles in young children with Down syndrome. Caregivers of children with Down syndrome (n = 26; chronological ages = 4-10 years; mental ages = 2-4 years) completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P; G. A. Gioia, K. A. Espy, & P. K. Isquith, 2003), a caregiver report measure of everyday/functional EF skills in multiple domains. On the BRIEF-P, elevations were noted on a global EF composite as well as the Working Memory and Plan/Organize scales in particular (relative to norms developed for typically developing children of a similar mental age). These results suggest a specific pattern ofEF weaknesses in young children with Down syndrome, consistent with the extant literature that has focused primarily on older individuals who have been tested using laboratory EF tasks.

Profiles of Everyday Executive Functioning in Young Children With Down Syndrome

“…Specifically, evidence suggests working memory impairments beyond those expected for overall MA (e.g., Baddeley & Jarrold, 2007), and mixed evidence exists regarding performance in other component areas of EF. Our team’s previously published findings highlight a potentially distinct EF profile in school-aged children with DS that includes significant levels of weaknesses beyond those anticipated for overall MA in the domains of both working memory and planning/organization as reported by parents (Lee et al, 2011). These findings suggest that even at a young MA (2–4 years), children with DS were reported to have a specific EF profile that included impairments in “cool” executive functions beyond those expected for their overall (delayed) developmental level.…”

“…However, critical gaps persist in our understanding of the DS cognitive phenotype. Recent evidence suggests that individuals with DS demonstrate deficits in adaptive, goal-directed behaviors known as executive function (EF) skills (Kogan et al, 2009; Lee et al, 2011; Rowe, Lavender, & Turk, 2006). Furthermore, in a review of the DS neuroanatomical phenotype, Nadel cites specific reductions in the size of the frontal lobes (Nadel, 2003), an area of the brain associated with EF (Tau & Peterson, 2010).…”

“…Nonetheless, there is mounting evidence that individuals with DS demonstrate deficits in EF skills including deficits in working memory and perhaps planning, along with mixed evidence for deficits in both inhibition and shifting (see our broad review of the extant literature in Lee et al, 2011). Specifically, evidence suggests working memory impairments beyond those expected for overall MA (e.g., Baddeley & Jarrold, 2007), and mixed evidence exists regarding performance in other component areas of EF.…”

A Multi-Method Investigation of Pragmatic Development in Individuals With Down Syndrome

“…The preschool version was administered because items were more appropriate for the nonverbal mental ages of the participants with DS. Because a number of participants fell outside of the norming sample, the raw total composite score was used in analyses, consistent with prior studies examining executive functioning in individuals with DS (Daunhauer et al, 2014; Lee et al, 2011; Liogier d’Ardhuy et al, 2015). …”

Cross-syndrome comparison of real-world executive functioning and problem solving using a new problem-solving questionnaire

“…In the DS literature, the BRIEF (Preschool version) was used in just one study, with parents/carers of children aged 4-10 years. Lee et al (2011) calculated standardised scores on the basis of mental age (MA). Relative to these MA-based TD norms, the Working Memory and Plan/Organize scales were impaired for the DS group, but not the Inhibitory self-control and Flexibility indices.…”