Cognitive Discrepancies in Children at the Ends of the Bell Curve: A Note of Caution for Clinical Interpretation

McGee, Christie L.; Delis, Dean C.; Holdnack, James A.

doi:10.1080/13854040902794995

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…It is important to note that children with ADHD in this study were tested off medication, which Jepsen and colleagues (2009) also suggest is likely to result in lower IQ scores. Furthermore, as some data suggest the relation of children’s executive function to intellectual ability may differ at the ends of the IQ distribution (Delis, 2007; McGee, 2009), the observed relation of working memory to PS and reading fluency measures may be different in children with lower levels of verbal ability. The current sample was not large enough to test for differences in this association across levels of ability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Working memory influences processing speed and reading fluency in ADHD

Jacobson

Ryan

Martin

et al. 2011

Child Neuropsychology

170

128

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Processing speed deficits affect reading efficiency, even among individuals who recognize and decode words accurately. Children with ADHD who decode words accurately can still have inefficient reading fluency, leading to a bottleneck in other cognitive processes. This “slowing” in ADHD is associated with deficits in fundamental components of executive function underlying processing speed, including response selection. The purpose of the present study was to deconstruct processing speed in order to determine which components of executive control best explain the “processing” speed deficits related to reading fluency in ADHD. Participants (41 ADHD, 21 controls), ages 9-14, screened for language disorders, word reading deficits, and psychiatric disorders, were administered measures of copying speed, processing speed, reading fluency, working memory, reaction time, inhibition, and auditory attention span. Compared to controls, children with ADHD showed reduced oral and silent reading fluency, and reduced processing speed—driven primarily by deficits on WISC-IV Coding. In contrast, groups did not differ on copying speed. After controlling for copying speed, sex, severity of ADHD-related symptomatology, and GAI, slowed “processing” speed (i.e., Coding) was significantly associated with verbal span and measures of working memory, but not with measures of response control/inhibition, lexical retrieval speed, reaction time, or intra-subject variability. Further, “processing” speed (i.e., Coding, residualized for copying speed) and working memory were significant predictors of oral reading fluency. Abnormalities in working memory and response selection (which are frontally-mediated and enter into the output side of processing speed) may play an important role in deficits in reading fluency in ADHD, potentially more than posteriorally-mediated problems with orienting of attention or perceiving the stimulus.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Working memory influences processing speed and reading fluency in ADHD

Jacobson

Ryan

Martin

et al. 2011

Child Neuropsychology

170

128

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Given the frequency with which IQ tests are used in neuropsychological examinations, their use as ‘reference points’ for interpretation of deficient function in other neurobehavioural domains has been called into question for both adults and children. 1–3 Basic motor speed, however, may represent a neuropsychological function that is dissociable from other, more complex, cognitive functions. Research investigating the relationship between motor speed and higher cognitive functions has produced mixed results.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the same manner, Jepsen et al 28 reported that inattention, as measured on the Test of Variables of Attention, accounted for as much as 19% of the variation in Full-scale IQ (FSIQ) in children with ADHD when not taking medication. More recently, McGee et al 3 reported that children and adolescents with high IQ scores had significantly lower performance on the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System, whereas those with low IQ scores had significantly higher Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System performance, suggesting that the relationship between IQ and executive control may be less robust at both ends of the bell curve. Among children with learning disorders (i.e.…”

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confidence: 99%

Factor structure of paediatric timed motor examination and its relationship with IQ

Martin

Tigera

Denckla

et al. 2010

Develop Med Child Neuro

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AIM Brain systems supporting higher cognitive and motor control develop in a parallel manner, dependent on functional integrity and maturation of related regions, suggesting neighbouring neural circuitry. Concurrent examination of motor and cognitive control can provide a window into neurological development. However, identification of performance-based measures that do not correlate with IQ has been a challenge. METHOD Timed motor performance from the Physical and Neurological Examination of Subtle Signs and IQ were analysed in 136 children aged 6 to 16 (mean age 10y 2.6mo, SD 2y 6.4mo; 98 female, 38male) attending an outpatient neuropsychology clinic and 136 right-handed comparison individuals aged 6 to 16 (mean age 10y 3.1mo, SD 2y 6.1mo; 98 female, 38male). Timed activities – three repetitive movements (toe tapping, hand patting, finger tapping) and three sequenced movements (heel–toe tap, hand pronate/supinate, finger sequencing) each performed on the right and left – were included in exploratory factor analyses. RESULTS Among comparison individuals, factor analysis yielded two factors – repetitive and sequenced movements – with the sequenced factor significantly predictive of Verbal IQ (VIQ) (ΔR2=0.018, p=0.019), but not the repetitive factor (ΔR2=0.004, p=0.39). Factor analysis within the clinical group yielded two similar factors (repetitive and sequenced), both significantly predictive of VIQ, (ΔR2=0.028, p=0.015; ΔR2=0.046, p=0.002 respectively). INTERPRETATION Among typical children, repetitive timed tasks may be independent of IQ; however, sequenced tasks share more variance, implying shared neural substrates. Among neurologically vulnerable populations, however, both sequenced and repetitive movements covary with IQ, suggesting that repetitive speed is more indicative of underlying neurological integrity.

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“…As neuropsychological measures are generally loosely correlated with IQ, we would not expect all these scores to be at the high level, owing to the regression-to-the-mean effect (Larrabee, 2000). The probability of obtaining an abnormal score is inversely related to intelligence (Binder et al, 2009;McGee, Delis, & Holdnack, 2009). Still others suggest that the lack of difference between samples of IG and TD children on cognitive measures is due to ceiling effects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuropsychological Profile of Intellectually Gifted Children: A Systematic Review

Bucaille

Jarry

Allard³

et al. 2021

J Int Neuropsychol Soc

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Objective: The term intellectually gifted (IG) refers to children of high intelligence, which is classically measured by the intelligence quotient (IQ). Some researchers assume that the cognitive profiles of these children are characterized by both strengths and weaknesses, compared with those of their typically developing (TD) peers of average IQ. The aim of the present systematic review was to verify this assumption, by compiling data from empirical studies of cognitive functions (language, motor skills, visuospatial processing, memory, attention and executive functions, social and emotional cognition) and academic performances. Method: The literature search yielded 658 articles, 15 of which met the selection criteria taken from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses model. We undertook a qualitative summary, to highlight any discrepancies between cognitive functions. Results: IG children exhibited better skills than TD children in a number of domains, including attention, language, mathematics, verbal working memory, shifting, and social problem solving. However, the two groups had comparable skills in visuospatial processing, memory, planning, inhibition, and visual working memory, or facial recognition. Conclusion: Although IG children may have some strengths, many studies have failed to find differences between this population and their TD peers on many other cognitive measures. Just like any other children, they can display learning disabilities, which can be responsible for academic underachievement. Further studies are needed to better understand this heterogeneity. The present review provides pointers for overcoming methodological problems and opens up new avenues for giftedness research.

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Cognitive Discrepancies in Children at the Ends of the Bell Curve: A Note of Caution for Clinical Interpretation

Cited by 6 publications

References 20 publications

Working memory influences processing speed and reading fluency in ADHD

Working memory influences processing speed and reading fluency in ADHD

Factor structure of paediatric timed motor examination and its relationship with IQ

Neuropsychological Profile of Intellectually Gifted Children: A Systematic Review

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