scholarly journals Measuring the Impact of Bilingualism on Executive Functioning Via Inhibitory Control Abilities in Autistic Children

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewis Montgomery ◽  
Vicky Chondrogianni ◽  
Sue Fletcher-Watson ◽  
Hugh Rabagliati ◽  
Antonella Sorace ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Attention ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Behavioural Control ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Diagnostic Status ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Important Evidence

AbstractOne factor that may influence how executive functions develop is exposure to more than one language in childhood. This study explored the impact of bilingualism on inhibitory control in autistic (n = 38) and non-autistic children (n = 51). Bilingualism was measured on a continuum of exposure to investigate the effects of language environment on two facets of inhibitory control. Behavioural control of motor impulses was modulated positively through increased bilingual exposure, irrespective of diagnostic status, but bilingual exposure did not significantly affect inhibition involving visual attention. The results partially support the hypothesis that bilingual exposure differentially affects components of inhibitory control and provides important evidence for families that bilingualism is not detrimental to their development.

scholarly journals Measuring the Impact of Bilingualism on Executive Functioning Via Inhibitory Control Abilities in Autistic Children.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewis Montgomery ◽  
Vasiliki Chondrogianni ◽  
Sue Fletcher-Watson ◽  
Hugh Rabagliati ◽  
Antonella Sorace ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Parent Report ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Report Data ◽  
Parental Reports ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Important Evidence

A distinct feature of autism is difficulties in several aspects of executive functioning. One factor that may influence how executive functions develop is exposure to more than one language in childhood. This study explored the impact of bilingualism on inhibitory control in autistic (n = 38) and non-autistic children (n = 51). Bilingualism was measured on a continuum of exposure in order to investigate the effects of language environment on two facets of inhibitory control. Results did not show meaningful effects of bilingual exposure on inhibition involving visual attention, but behavioural control of motor impulses was modulated positively through increased bilingual exposure, irrespective of diagnostic status. However, bilingual exposure was not related to parental reports of everyday executive functioning, and there was no correlation between these parent-report data and performance on experimental tasks. The results partially support the hypothesis that bilingual exposure differentially affects components of inhibitory control and provides important evidence for families raising autistic children that bilingualism is not detrimental to their development.

Mindfulness and Executive Functioning in Preadolescents and Adolescents: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 7512515329p1-7512515329p1
Author(s):  
Rebecca Mariel Rutta ◽  
Shamta Kumar ◽  
Varada Pisharody ◽  
Kaitlyn Cecilia Irwin ◽  
Nancy Baker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Mindfulness Interventions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Primary Author

Abstract Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. Executive functions, including attention and regulation, are relevant to successful participation in complex occupations. A scoping review was conducted to summarize and evaluate current evidence for the impact of mindfulness on the attention and regulation skills of preadolescents and adolescents. Findings suggest early promise of mindfulness interventions in improving these skills in the target population. However, firm conclusions cannot be drawn due to low trustworthiness of the evidence. Primary Author and Speaker: Rebecca Mariel Rutta Additional Authors and Speakers: Shamta Kumar, Varada Pisharody, and Kaitlyn Cecilia Irwin Contributing Authors: Nancy Baker, Elizabeth Marfeo, and Margaret Morris

scholarly journals Executive functioning as a predictive measure of offending behaviour

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin A. Spenser ◽  
Ray Bull ◽  
Lucy Betts ◽  
Belinda Winder
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Moral Reasoning ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empathic Understanding ◽  
The Impact

PurposeProsociality is considered important in the study of offenders and associated cognitive skills: theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning, are said to enable self-control and reduce the risk of offending behaviours. Previous research has made associations between these skills and executive functioning; however, research into a link between them, in an offending population, is limited. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approachTo further understand the practicalities of this, the present study considered the predictive abilities of the constructs believed to underpin executive functioning: working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control, in relation to theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning. In total, 200 male and female offenders completed measures in all six constructs.FindingsUsing path analysis working memory was demonstrated to be predictive of theory of mind and empathic understanding, cognitive flexibility was found to be predictive of theory of mind, and inhibitory control was found to be predictive of theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focussed on offenders serving a custodial sentence of six months or less and did not differentiate between crime categories or take into consideration the socio-environmental backgrounds or ethnicity. Therefore, considering these things could further establish the generalisability of the current findings. It is noted that the more focussed the intervention is to the specific needs of an offender, the greater the impact will be. Therefore, pre-screening tests for the constructs discussed may be able to more accurately assess an offenders’ suitability for a programme, or indeed tailor it to meet the specific needs of that person.Practical implicationsThese findings may enable practitioners to more accurately assess offenders’ suitability for interventions aimed at reducing offending behaviours by improving levels of prosociality and develop more focussed programmes to meet the specific needs of individual offenders to reduce re-offending.Social implicationsAs recommended in the study, a more tailored approach to offender rehabilitation may be a potential aid to reducing levels of recidivism.Originality/valueThe present study adds to the literature as it is the first to consider whether the constructs of executive functioning can predict levels of theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning and so provide a more accurate method in assessing the cognitive abilities of offenders prior to participation in rehabilitative interventions.

scholarly journals Decreased inhibitory control after partial sleep deprivation in individuals reporting binge eating: preliminary findings

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9252
Author(s):  
Silvia Cerolini ◽  
Andrea Ballesio ◽  
Fabio Ferlazzo ◽  
Fabio Lucidi ◽  
Caterina Lombardo
Keyword(s):  
Binge Eating ◽  
Sleep Deprivation ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Backward Inhibition ◽  
Partial Sleep Deprivation ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
The Impact

Background Poor executive functions are associated with dysregulated eating and greater caloric intake in healthy samples. In parallel, findings suggested that sleep deprivation impairs executive functions. Methods We investigated whether partial sleep deprivation impairs executive functions in individuals reporting binge eating (BE, N = 14) and healthy controls (C, N = 13). Switch cost and backward inhibition were measured using the Task Switching Paradigm after a habitual night of sleep and after a night of partial sleep deprivation. Results Results showed a Night by Group interaction on the backward inhibition. The two groups differed in the habitual night, evidencing higher inhibitory control in BE compared to C. Additionally, after partial sleep deprivation, compared to the habitual night, backward inhibition decreased in BE group. This preliminary study was the first to explore the impact of sleep deprivation on executive functions in participants reporting binge eating and healthy controls, thus highlighting their potential role in influencing eating behavior.

Executive Function and Attention in Children Born Prematurely

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 150-156
Author(s):  
Celeste Beaudoin ◽  
Roxanne Bélanger
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Premature Infants ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Premature Children ◽  
The Impact

Aim - The aim of this study is to measure the abilities of premature school-aged children in tasks of attention, working memory and executive functioning in order to determine if premature newborns are more at risk to develop delays compared to children born at term. Method - The sampling will be based on a previous study where five school-age premature children from Northern Ontario will be assessed using standardized tests. Each parent will be given a standardized questionnaire designed to measure the executive functioning of his or her child. The results will be then compared to those of a control group born at term without any neonatal complications. Participants will be matched according to gender, age, language status and socio-economic status. Preliminary analysis has shown that premature infants have reduced performance in tasks such as attention and executive functioning (inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility). The influence of gestational age, birth weight and socio-economic status will be explained. Importance of the Study - Premature children are more vulnerable to developmental and behavioural delays (Taheri, Goudarzi, Shariat, Nariman, & Martin, 2017). Several studies have shown that delays in executive functions are associated with lower academic achievement (Hüning et al., 2017). This study will help us determine the nature of the impact on non-language skills in premature infants. Preliminary results will allow us to better understand the impact of prematurity on the development of attention and executive functioning (inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility), as it relates to language.

scholarly journals Autism interest intensity in early childhood associates with executive functioning but not reward sensitivity or anxiety symptoms

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110643
Author(s):  
Kate J Godfrey ◽  
Svenja Espenhahn ◽  
Mehak Stokoe ◽  
Carly McMorris ◽  
Kara Murias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Reward Sensitivity ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Attention Shifting ◽  
The Many ◽  
Executive Functioning Skills ◽  
Personal Interests

Several theories have been proposed to explain the presentation of intense interests in autism, including theories based on altered executive functioning, imbalanced reward sensitivity, and mitigating anxiety. These theories have yet to be examined in early childhood, yet knowledge of how intense interests emerge could provide insight into how best to manage intensity and support the many benefits of personal interests. Parents of 33 autistic and 42 non-autistic comparison children aged 3–6 years completed questionnaires to assess attention shifting and inhibitory control, responsiveness to rewards, and anxiety symptoms. Each behavior domain was examined for associations with parent-reported interest intensity. In autistic and comparison children, attention shifting was associated with interest intensity, where children with more difficulties showed more intense interests. In autistic children only, inhibitory control of attention also associated with interest intensity, where children with greater difficulties showed more intense interests. Reward and anxiety symptoms did not associate with interest intensity in either group, or across the sample. These findings suggest that, in early childhood, the presentation of intense interests is related to executive functioning regardless of diagnostic group. Helping children develop executive functioning skills may therefore be useful to assist with managing interest intensity in early childhood. Lay abstract Personal interests in autism are a source of joy, pride, and assist with the formation of social relationships. However, highly intense engagement can also interfere with other activities including activities of daily living. Theories have suggested that intense interests relate to executive functioning, reward sensitivity, and anxiety symptoms; but none of these theories have been tested in early childhood. Understanding which behavioral traits relate to intense interests in early childhood could help understand how intense interests may emerge, while also providing clues for how to manage interest intensity and best promote the many benefits of personal interests. We recruited families with autistic and non-autistic children aged 3–6 years. Parents completed questionnaires to assess children’s interest diversity and intensity, executive functioning, reward sensitivity, and anxiety symptoms. We found that for autistic and non-autistic children, greater difficulty shifting attention between activities related to more intense interests. In autistic children only, difficulty with inhibitory control of attention also related to more intense interests. However, reward sensitivity and anxiety symptoms did not relate to interest intensity. Based on these observations, assisting young children with developing executive functioning skills could help with mediating the interference of interests in daily life to ultimately promote the many benefits of personal interests.

scholarly journals Effects of home language environment on inhibitory control in bilingual three-year-old children

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOSJE VERHAGEN ◽  
HANNA MULDER ◽  
PAUL P. M. LESEMAN
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Delay Of Gratification ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Conflict Task ◽  
Parental Questionnaire ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Home Language Environment

Previous studies have shown effects of bilingualism on inhibitory control in preschool children. However, these effects only held for ‘conflict tasks’, and not delay of gratification tasks, and other domains of executive functioning were not investigated. For older children, previous studies have found relationships between bilinguals’ advantages and home language environment. This study investigates effects of bilingualism and bilingual home language environment on executive functioning in three-year-old children. 200 bilingual and 829 monolingual three-year-olds performed tasks of inhibitory control, working memory, and selective attention. Home language environment characteristics were assessed through a parental questionnaire. The bilinguals outperformed the monolinguals on a conflict task only, and this effect was very small. Further analyses showed broader effects on inhibitory control that were related to home language environment: Bilinguals whose parents spoke different languages outperformed bilinguals whose parents spoke the same language on both the conflict task and a delay of gratification task.

scholarly journals The Impact of Bilingualism on Everyday Executive Functions of English-Arabic Autistic Children: Through a Parent-Teacher Lens

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shereen Sharaan ◽  
Sarah E. MacPherson ◽  
Sue Fletcher-Watson
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Sustained Attention ◽  
Parent Ratings ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Interference Control ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThere is evidence that autistic children may have reduced executive function skills, contributing to day-to-day difficulties, but much remains unknown regarding the influence of bilingualism. We investigated its influence on sustained attention, interference control, flexible switching and working memory, in Arabic-English autistic (n = 27) and typically developing peers (n = 53) children, aged 5 to 12 years old. Parents and teachers completed rating measures assessing children’s daily EF abilities. Results showed generalized positive effects for bilingual autistic children relative to their monolingual peers across all EF domains, but using parent ratings only. The findings indicate that bilingualism does not negatively impact the executive function skills of autistic children, and that it might mitigate difficulties faced on a day-to-day basis.

Executive function processes mediate the impact of working memory impairment on intelligence in schizophrenia

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Wongupparaj ◽  
V. Kumari ◽  
R.G. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Structural Equation Modelling ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Intellectual Function ◽  
Equation Modelling ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractObjective:The study investigated working memory, executive functions (conceptualized as response inhibition, updating, and shifting), and intelligence in schizophrenia, using structural equation modelling to determine the relationship between working memory and intelligence, testing whether specific executive functions act as a mediator for the association.Method:One hundred and twenty-five individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and 64 healthy participants were included in the study, tested using measures of working memory, intelligence and executive functioning. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to estimate direct and indirect associations between main measures.Results:The schizophrenia group had significantly lower working memory, executive function and intelligence than the healthy group. The relationship between working memory and intelligence was significantly mediated by inhibition, updating and shifting functions.Conclusion:The study indicates a mediating role of executive functions in determining the association between working memory and intellectual function in schizophrenia. It is further proposed that in people with schizophrenia, cognitive remediation approaches targeting working memory through executive functioning may in turn improve intellectual function generally.

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