The Mini-Mental Examination for Children (MMC): Evidence of validity for children with learning difficulties

Abstract

The Mini-Mental Examination for Children (MMC) is a widely used tool for assessing global cognitive deficits, however,is still unknown whether MMC is sensitive for investigating cognitive profiles associated with learning difficulties (LD). Objective: Here we investigate the feasibility of using the MMC for screening school-aged children with learning difficulties in spelling and math. Methods: The MMC and other neurophysiological tests were administered to a sample of 168 children, aged 7 to 12 years. The sample was subdivided into a Control group and LD group (Math Difficulties, Spelling Difficulties, Math and Spelling Difficulties). Diagnostic accuracy was assessed with ROC analysis. Convergent and divergent validity was assessed using correlation analysis. Results: Performance on the MMC was associated with nonverbal intelligence, age and school achievement. The LD group had significantly lower performance on the MMC than the Control group. Performance on the MMC discriminated LD children with a global accuracy of around 0.80. Associations between the MMC and the other neuropsychological variables were higher for finger gnosis (r=0.40) and generally higher for early elementary school grades. The MMC proved satisfactory for identifying LD children with good accuracy. Nonverbal intelligence, and perceptual/motor abilities play an important role in MMC performance. Conclusion: The MMC could be a useful instrument for screening children with LD.

Motor and Basic Cognitive Functions in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Undergoing Induction or Consolidation Chemotherapy

“…Additionally, since the MMSE is an easily administered test, it has been deemed suitable for researchers seeking to screen children at risk for impairment (Tsantali et al., 2012). The MMSE has been shown to be reliable and feasible in other research studies in children with various clinical diagnoses, including cerebral palsy (Moura et al., 2017), Duchene muscular dystrophy (Nardes et al., 2020), learning difficulties (Salvador et al., 2019), and survivors of ALL (Khan et al., 2016).…”

Adaptación cultural de un instrumento para valorar el lenguaje infantojuvenil en Argentina: los módulos de semántica y pragmática de la BLOC-SR

“…En este sentido, el corto tiempo de aplicación de la BLOC-SR AR puede favorecer su uso como herramienta de screening para detectar dificultades lingüísticas como estrategia de atención primaria de la salud (Wallace et al, 2015) en instituciones que nuclean la vida de las chicas y los chicos, como la escuela, para lo que se requieren herramientas efectivas y adecuadas al contexto. En relación con esto, el grado de interés y dificultad reportados por la mayoría de los participantes de las pruebas de comprensión indican que los MS y MP de la BLOC-SR AR son interesantes y fáciles, lo que responde a lo expuesto por Salvador et al (2019) sobre la necesidad de contar con instrumentos de screening breves y simples a partir de los que el profesional obtenga información y determine si es necesario derivar y precisar la evaluación.…”

Hand preference and Mathematical Learning Difficulties: New data from Greece, the United Kingdom, and Germany and two meta-analyses of the literature

“…A few studies did include participants with MLD and also provided information about their handedness, but the arithmetic data were not useable (e.g., Ashkenazi et al, 2012;Ayyildiz et al, 2019;Cohen, Gliksman, & Henik, 2019;Huber, Nuerk, Reips, & Soltanlou, 2017;Mazzocco & Thompson, 2005;Rosenberg, 1989;Salvador et al, 2019;Shalev, Manor, & Gross-Tsur, 1997;Whittington & Richards, 1991). In addition, case studies were not included (e.g., DeVisscher & Noël, 2013;Hsieh et al,2017;Iuculano & Cohen Kadosh, 2014;Martins et al,1999;von Aster, 2000).…”