Executive Functions and Interpersonal Skills in Preadolescents With High Family Risk: Effectiveness of a Multicomponent Intervention Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-133
Author(s):  
M. Mar Gómez-Pérez ◽  
M. Dolores Calero ◽  
Sara Mata
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Interpersonal Skills ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Family Risk ◽  
Intervention Effects ◽  
Multicomponent Intervention ◽  
Multicomponent Program

Growing up in a high family risk (HFR) environment is accompanied by difficulties in executive functions (EFs) and interpersonal skills (IS) that may persist into adulthood. Because preadolescence is a critical period, this study will assess a multicomponent mediational intervention program, to determine the possibility of improving these skills. There were 61 preadolescent participants, between the ages of 8 and 12; 34 were associated with HFR and 27 were associated with low family risk (LFR). All the participants were tested with EF and IS measures. Results showed that, prior to treatment, the HFR preadolescents had poorer performance on EF and IS than did the LFR preadolescents. In the posttreatment measures, to assess the utility of the multicomponent program, the HFR preadolescents group was able to match the scores of those in the LFR group. In addition, intervention effects in the HFR group were maintained in the follow-up assessment.

Long-term follow-up of attentional and executive functions of PTSD patients.

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana C. F. Mozzambani ◽  
Simone F. Fuso ◽  
Stella M. Malta ◽  
Rafaela L. Ribeiro ◽  
Mariana C. Pupo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Long Term Follow Up

Development of a Program based on Goal Management Training for Adolescents with Executive Dysfunctions Complaints

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liana Garcia Nunes ◽  
Alessandra Gotuzo Seabra
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Execution Time ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Intellectual Ability ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Goal Management ◽  
Executive Dysfunctions ◽  
Goal Management Training

Abstract This study aimed to develop a program based on Goal Management Training (GMT) and to investigate its effectiveness on executive functions, through formal instruments and an ecological task. Participants were 25 adolescents with complaints of executive dysfunctions. They underwent neuropsychological assessment of working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, planning, and intellectual ability. Participants also took part in a cooking activity and were evaluated for errors per action, of omission, activity performance time, recipe consultation. After, they were randomly allocated to an active control group (CG), which underwent psychoeducation sessions, and an experimental group (EG), stimulated through GMT in eight sessions. Then participants underwent another assessment and follow-up after 4 weeks. In post-intervention analyses, results showed an improvement in executive functions in EG, in the working memory measurement and time of the ecological activity (g = 1.78 and .93, respectively), IQ (g = −1.01), reasoning (g = −.89), flexibility (g = −1.21), and inhibition (g = −3.11). In follow-up evaluation, large-size effects were observed on flexibility (g = −2.95), inhibition (g = −5.78) and execution time of the ecological activity (g = .98). Significant interactions between assessment Time x Group revealed EG gains in IQ, scores in reasoning and flexibility. EG also had longer execution time in flexibility and inhibition tests. That is, EG had greater scores and probably was less impulsive in these tests. Furthermore, EG decreased the number of verifications and the time in the ecological task, that is, had a more efficient performance. Results suggest the intervention can be as instrument to promote executive function.

scholarly journals Development of Perceptual Inhibition in Adolescents—a Critical Period?

Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 457
Author(s):  
Isabel María Introzzi ◽  
María Marta Richard’s ◽  
Yesica Aydmune ◽  
Eliana Vanesa Zamora ◽  
Florencia Stelzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Response Time ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Search Task ◽  
Probability Distributions ◽  
Linear Trajectory ◽  
Gaussian Functions ◽  
Mean Response Time ◽  
The Mean ◽  
One Year

Recent studies suggest that the developmental curves in adolescence, related to the development of executive functions, could be fitted to a non-linear trajectory of development with progressions and retrogressions. Therefore, the present study proposes to analyze the pattern of development in Perceptual Inhibition (PI), considering all stages of adolescence (early, middle, and late) in intervals of one year. To this aim, we worked with a sample of 275 participants between 10 and 25 years, who performed a joint visual and search task (to measure PI). We have fitted ex-Gaussian functions to the probability distributions of the mean response time across the sample and performed a covariance analysis (ANCOVA). The results showed that the 10- to 13-year-old groups performed similarly in the task and differ from the 14- to 19-year-old participants. We found significant differences between the older group and all the rest of the groups. We discuss the important changes that can be observed in relation to the nonlinear trajectory of development that would show the PI during adolescence.

scholarly journals Adolescence as a “critical period” in the heritage language use. Polish in Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 301-315
Author(s):  
Hanna Pułaczewska
Keyword(s):  
Role Models ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Media ◽  
Role Of Parents ◽  
Qualitative Part ◽  
The Impact

Abstract In the article, we consider the impact of adolescence upon the usage of Polish in Polish-German bilinguals raised and living in Germany and demonstrate how adolescence surfaces as a socially based “critical period” in this usage using results from a survey and interviews conducted with 30 teenagers. In the quantitative part of the study, we seek to establish whether adolescents’ age affected the pattern and quantity of their usage of Polish in the media and contacts with age peers, whether the latter two facets of growing up with Polish were interrelated, and which other factors affected peer-relevant activities in Polish. Both age and peer contact turned out to significantly affect the use of the media in Polish, while peer contact in Polish was affected by the parental use of Polish in parent-child communication. The qualitative part presents the context and motivation for using Polish by the youths in peer-relevant activities. We integrate the results with insights provided by child development psychology from the perspective of language socialisation theory and interpret the age-related decline of interest in the Polish media as an effect of a diminishing role of parents and the increasing role of age peers as role models in personal development.

scholarly journals Long-term effects of the Dutch Schoolgruiten Project – promoting fruit and vegetable consumption among primary-school children

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1213-1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nannah I Tak ◽  
Saskia J te Velde ◽  
Johannes Brug
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Fruit Intake ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Intervention Effects ◽  
Parent Reports

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate the long-term effects of the Schoolgruiten Project, a Dutch primary school-based intervention providing free fruit and vegetables (F&V). In addition, we assessed whether children’s appreciation of the project mediated these intervention effects.Design and methodsParticipating schoolchildren (mean age 9·9 years at baseline) and their parents completed parallel questionnaires at baseline, at 1-year and at 2-year follow-up, including questions on usual F&V intake of the child, potential behavioural determinants, their appreciation of the project and general demographics. Primary outcomes were usual F&V intakes as assessed by parent and child self-reported food frequency measures. Secondary outcome measures were taste preference, knowledge of daily recommendations, availability and accessibility for fruit intake. Multilevel linear regression analyses were used to assess differences at second follow-up adjusted for baseline values between control and intervention groups.SubjectsReports were available for 346 intervention children (148 parents) and 425 control children (287 parents).ResultsBoth child and parent reports indicated that the intervention group had a significantly higher fruit intake at 2-year follow-up (difference, servings/d: 0·15; 95 % CI 0·004, 0·286 for child reports; 0·19; 95 % CI 0·030, 0·340 for parent reports). No significant effects on vegetable intake were observed. Significant positive intervention effects were also found for knowledge of fruit recommendations among boys. Some evidence was found for partial mediation analyses of the effects on fruit intake.ConclusionThe present study indicates that the Schoolgruiten scheme was effective in increasing children’s fruit intake and that appreciation of the project partially mediated this effect.

Comparison of Statistical Models For Estimating Intervention Effects Based On Time-To-Recurrent-Event In Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial Using Open Cohort Design

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shunsuke Oyamada ◽  
Shih-Wei Chiu ◽  
Takuhiro Yamaguchi
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Monte Carlo Simulations ◽  
Statistical Models ◽  
Randomised Trial ◽  
Recurrent Event ◽  
Cluster Randomised Trial ◽  
Stepped Wedge ◽  
Intervention Effects ◽  
Cohort Design

Abstract Background: There are currently no methodological studies on the performance of the statistical models for estimating intervention effects based on the time-to-recurrent-event (TTRE) in stepped wedge cluster randomised trial (SWCRT) using an open cohort design. This study aims to address this by evaluating the performance of these statistical models using an open cohort design with the Monte Carlo simulation in various settings and their application using an actual example.Methods: Using Monte Carlo simulations, we evaluated the performance of the existing extended Cox proportional hazard models, i.e., the Andersen-Gill (AG), Prentice-Williams-Peterson Total-Time (PWP-TT), and Prentice-Williams-Peterson Gap-time (PWP-GT) models, using the settings of several event generation models and true intervention effects, with and without stratification by clusters. Unidirectional switching in SWCRT was represented using time-dependent covariates.Results: Using Monte Carlo simulations with the various described settings, the PWP-GT model with stratification by clusters showed the best performance in most settings and reasonable performance in the others. The only situation in which the performance of the PWP-TT model with stratification by clusters was not inferior to that of the PWP-GT model with stratification by clusters was when there was a certain amount of follow-up period, and the timing of the trial entry was random within the trial period, including the follow-up period. The AG model performed well only in a specific setting. By analysing actual examples, it was found that almost all the statistical models suggested that the risk of events during the intervention condition may be somewhat higher than in the control, although the difference was not statistically significant.Conclusions: The PWP-GT model with stratification by clusters had the most reasonable performance when estimating intervention effects based on the TTRE in SWCRT in various settings using an open cohort design.

Does a Multicomponent Exercise Program Improve Physical Fitness in Older Adults? Findings From a 5-Year Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Andréa Kruger Gonçalves ◽  
Eliane Mattana Griebler ◽  
Wagner Albo da Silva ◽  
Débora Pastoriza Sant´Helena ◽  
Priscilla Cardoso da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Upper Limb ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Multicomponent Program ◽  
Post Hoc

The objective was to assess the physical fitness of older adults participating in a 5-year multicomponent exercise program. The sample consisted of 138 older adults aged 60–93 years (70.4 ± 7.8 years) evaluated with the Senior Fitness Test (muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and cardiorespiratory fitness). The multicomponent program was carried out between the months of March and November of each year. Data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations (factor year: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, and Year 5; factor time: pretest and posttest) with Bonferroni’s post hoc test. Participation in the multicomponent exercise program for 5 years (baseline pretest Year 1 and follow-up Year 5) improved lower and upper limb strength, lower limb flexibility, and balance and cardiorespiratory fitness, while upper limb flexibility was maintained. Year-by-year analysis revealed variable patterns for each fitness parameter. The results of this study show the potential benefits of implementing a long-term community-based exercise program.

scholarly journals EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: A MAJOR LEVER FOR THE HEALTHY AND BALANCED DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

2021 ◽  
Vol 03 (03) ◽  
pp. 198-208
Author(s):  
Ihsane DAHANE
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Cognitive Development ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Preschool Education ◽  
Study Participant ◽  
Balanced Development ◽  
Scholastic Success

The early childhood is considered as one of the decisive stages in a child’s life. It’s viewed as the first building block that shapes the child’s personality in all its aspects, as this is when the child begins to deal with his external surrounding. Moreover, during this period the child's awareness grows towards autonomy. He starts to rely on himself in his actions and movement confidently. What the child experiences in his first years, shapes all his upcoming learnings. For instance, during the preschool, the child starts acquiring new principles and grasps some abstract concepts like solidarity, participation, socialization … The institution also works on promoting all the skills which are related to artistic creativity, recreational and educational activities. And since the intervention at this stage has a great impact on the child’s scholastic success, Its consequences positively affect the child’s health and behavior, as well as his cognitive and mental development. Thus, the recent studies have shed light on the child's cognitive development in early stages. And focused mainly on understanding and identifying the factors affecting this development. A reference should be made that the child's cognitive development is crucially related scholastic success. That’s to say, by promoting the executive functions (inhibition - cognitive flexibility – memory – planning and organizing…) at the very early childhood stage is regarded as the cornerstone for building a child’s cognitive skills and acquiring social behavior. This research study aims to explore the children’s executive functions state at their early childhood stage (preschool children) in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses which needs intervention. The study was implemented by using the CHILDHOOD EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING INVENTORY (CHEXI) FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS. The study participant were 150 children, divided among 10 educators in the second preparatory level at 4 different schools. The latter are part of (The Moroccan Foundation for the Promotion of preSchool education) in the Rabat region. It was concluded that the executive functions of preschool children still need further reinforcement and development by setting up an intervention program.

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