Changing the Conversation: A Culturally Responsive Perspective on Executive Functions, Minoritized Children and Their Families

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Miller-Cotto ◽  
Leann V. Smith ◽  
Andrew David Ribner ◽  
Aubrey H Wang
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Academic Outcomes ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Family Resources ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Racial Ethnic

Executive functions remain one of the most investigated variables in both cognitive science and in education given its high correlation with numerous academic outcomes. Differences in executive function skills between children from higher socioeconomic and lower socioeconomic homes, as well as children from different racial/ethnic backgrounds, are often attributed to the quality of their environment and family resources. The goal of this essay is to highlight commonly held beliefs about executive functions in the field and provide alternative explanations for existing research findings for minoritized children and their families. We provide a summary of the literature on executive functions, how it’s often measured, how it develops, and how we might view research findings differently with greater knowledge of the groups we are studying.

Changing the conversation: A culturally sensitive perspective on discussing executive functions for minoritized children and their families

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Miller-Cotto ◽  
Leann V. Smith ◽  
Andrew David Ribner ◽  
Aubrey H Wang
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Academic Outcomes ◽  
Culturally Sensitive ◽  
Family Resources ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Racial Ethnic

Executive functions remain one of the most investigated variables in both cognitive science and in education given its high correlation with numerous academic outcomes. Differences in executive function skills between children from higher socioeconomic and lower socioeconomic homes, as well as children from different racial/ethnic backgrounds, are often attributed to the quality of their environment and family resources. The goal of this essay is to highlight commonly held beliefs about executive functions in the field and provide alternative explanations for existing research findings for minoritized children and their families. We provide a summary of the literature on executive functions, how it’s often measured, how it develops, and how we might view research findings differently with greater knowledge of the groups we are studying.

scholarly journals Executive Function Training in Childhood Obesity: Food Choice, Quality of Life, and Brain Connectivity (TOuCH): A Randomized Control Trial Protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Sanchez-Castañeda ◽  
Sandra Luis-Ruiz ◽  
Marta Ramon-Krauel ◽  
Carles Lerin ◽  
Consuelo Sanchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Brain Plasticity ◽  
Trial Registration ◽  
Control Group ◽  
General Hypothesis ◽  
Executive Function Training

Background: Individuals with obesity are known to present cognitive deficits, especially in executive functions. Executive functions play an important role in health and success throughout the whole life and have been related to food decision-making and to the ability to maintain energy balance. It is possible to improve executive functions through targeted training. This would involve brain plasticity changes that could be studied through connectivity MRI. The general hypothesis of this study is that executive functions training in children with obesity can improve food choices and produce cognitive and neuroimaging changes (structural and functional connectivity), as well as improve emotional state and quality of life.Methods: Randomized controlled double-blind trial with 12-month follow-up. Thirty children with obesity will be randomly allocated into “executive training” (Cognifit with adaptive difficulty + Cogmed) or “control task” group (Cognifit without adaptive difficulty). Both groups will attend 30–45 min of individual gamified training (Cogmed and/or Cognifit systems) by iPad, five times per week during 6 weeks. Cogmed and Cognifit software are commercially available from Pearson and Cognifit, respectively. Participants will receive an iPad with both apps installed for a 6-week use. Participants will also receive counseling diet information via presentations sent to the iPad and will wear a Fitbit Flex 2 tracker to monitor daily activity and sleep patterns. Main outcomes will be cognitive, emotional, food decision, and quality-of-life measures, as well as neuroimaging measures. Participants are evaluated at baseline (T0), after treatment (T1), and 12 months since baseline (T2).Discussion: Longitudinal study with active control group and 3 time points: baseline, immediately after treatment, and 1 year after baseline. Threefold treatment: executive function training, psychoeducation, and feedback on activity/sleep tracking. We will evaluate the transfer effects of the intervention, including emotional and functional outcomes, as well as the effects on neural plasticity by connectivity MRI.Trial registration: This project has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (trial registration number NCT03615274), August 3, 2018.

scholarly journals Executive functions and quality of life in children with neurofibromatosis type 1

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Roy ◽  
Jean-Luc Roulin ◽  
Christèle Gras-Le Guen ◽  
Marie-Laure Corbat ◽  
Sébastien Barbarot
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Neurofibromatosis Type 1 ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Neurofibromatosis Type ◽  
Self Reports

Abstract Background. To examine the impact of executive function disorders on health-related quality of life (QoL) in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Prospective single-center study among 40 children with NF1 aged 812 years (mean = 9.7, SD = 1.4) and their parents, comparing them with 56 healthy control children matched for age, sex, parental education level, and handedness. We collected children’s self-reports and parents’ proxy reports of QoL with the Kidscreen-52 questionnaire, and measured executive functions by combining seven performance-based tests and a daily life questionnaire completed by parents and teachers. Results. Several QoL domains were significantly impaired in the children with NF1, compared with healthy controls, according to both their self-reports (3 out of 9 scales; Cohen’s d: .40.42) and their parents’ reports (6 out of 9 scales; Cohen’s d: .34.75), with a systematic decrease in the social support and peers and school environment domains. Executive function disorders (Cohen’s d: .641.72) significantly predicted the impairment of QoL domains as perceived by the children or their parents, regardless of the indirect indicators of learning disabilities. Conclusions. Both performance-based executive function scores and behavior ratings of executive functions in daily life by parents and teachers were associated with low QoL levels in the children with NF1. The school environment and social integration appear to be particularly affected, and should therefore be targeted in the management of the disease. 227 words

Human vs. AI

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
Hanji Li ◽  
Haiqing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Machine Translation ◽  
Error Rate ◽  
Operating Mode ◽  
Foreseeable Future ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Applications Of Ai

As one of the most important applications of AI, machine translation has always been the hot topic among scholars in linguistics, computer science, cognitive science and other areas. This article made an assessment of translations of 4 selected major online machine translation platforms from perspectives of efficiency, operating mode and condition. The outputs of machine and human were compared by employing new “6-4” table and comprehensive error rate. The assessment shows that although the quality of machine translation is improving, the gap still exists between the quality of machine translation and human translation. Based on the research findings, the author predicts that machine translation cannot possibly replace human translation and the two will continue to coexist in the foreseeable future.

scholarly journals Executive functions and quality of life in children with neurofibromatosis type 1

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Roy ◽  
Jean-Luc Roulin ◽  
Christèle Gras-Le Guen ◽  
Marie-Laure Corbat ◽  
Sébastien Barbarot
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Neurofibromatosis Type 1 ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Neurofibromatosis Type ◽  
Life Questionnaire

Abstract Background To examine the impact of executive function disorders on health-related quality of life (QoL) in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), we conducted a prospective single-center study among 40 children with NF1 aged 8–12 years (mean = 9.7, SD = 1.4) and their parents, comparing them with 56 healthy control children matched for age, sex, parental education level, and handedness. We collected children’s self-reports and parents’ proxy reports of QoL with the Kidscreen-52 questionnaire, and measured executive functions by combining seven performance-based tests and a daily life questionnaire completed by parents and teachers. Results Several QoL domains were significantly impaired in the children with NF1, compared with healthy controls, mainly according to their parents’ reports (3 out of 9 scales; Cohen’s d: 0.57–0.76), with particularly low scores in the social support and peers and school environment domains. Executive function difficulties (Cohen’s d: 0.64–1.72) significantly predicted the impairment of QoL domains as perceived by the children or their parents, regardless of the indirect indicators of learning disabilities. Conclusions Both performance-based executive function scores and behavioral ratings of executive functions in daily life by parents and teachers were associated with low QoL levels in the children with NF1. The school environment and social integration appear to be particularly affected and should therefore be targeted in the management of the disease.

scholarly journals The Effect of Executive Functions on Tolerance and Quality of Life of MS Patients: Path Analysis Pattern

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-36
Author(s):  
Shohreh Tofighian1 ◽  
◽  
Ali Khanehkeshi ◽  
Kolsom Akbarnataj Bisheh ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Path Analysis ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Statistical Population

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease is a chronic, debilitating, and often progressive inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that is affected by cognitive and emotional dimensions, and also, this disease affects these dimensions. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the effect of executive functions on the tolerance and quality of life of MS patients. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 290 MS patients were selected as the sample size by simple random sampling method from the statistical population consisted of all 687 patients with MS disease in Gorgan’s MS Association, Gorgan City, Iran, in 2020. To collect data, we used Nejati’s executive functions questionnaire, McGuigan and Hutchinson’s quality of life questionnaire, and Simons and Gaher’s tolerance scale. Path analysis by SPSS V.18 and AMOS V.23 software was used for data processing. Results: According to the results of path analysis, executive functions affect -0.371 and tolerance -0.257 on the quality of life (P=0.01), and in total, that can explain 44% of the variance. Also, tolerance mediates the relationship between executive function and quality of life. Conclusion: Executive function is related to the quality of life of MS patients by the mediating role of tolerance, in the sense that a higher ability to tolerate increases the constructive effect of executive function on improving the quality of life.

Breaking the limits of executive functions: Towards a sociocultural perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 358-368
Author(s):  
U Arathi Sarma ◽  
Tissy Mariam Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Planning Problem ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Problem Solvers ◽  
Interpersonal Situations

Executive functions refer to the neurocognitive processes that enable conscious control of goal-directed behaviour. Executive functions lay the neural and cognitive foundation for civilisation and culture with its far reaching effects in day-to-day planning, problem-solving, creativity, self-regulation, empathy and cooperative social behaviour. Though a celebrated area of research for cognitive scientists, contemporary studies find that most of the interventions that target executive functions promote academic achievement in children, but fail to transfer to real-life interpersonal situations. This suggests the need for breaking its cognitive shell and conceiving executive function development in the larger sociocultural context. Thus, the present paper inquires into the cultural space that provides collaborative learning experiences for young children to become efficient problem-solvers and empathetic social beings. After reviewing certain theoretical perspectives and research findings, it is concluded that the early experiences of scaffolding by more competent individuals, specific to the social context and culture, are the crucial determinant of positive executive function development and its expression in everyday situations. The process of such sociocultural influences seems to be mediated by learning appropriate rules that guide executive functions. The paper puts forth the need for culture-specific value-based training for children that can potentially improve the internally motivated execution of control in practical situations. Revival of activities inherent in cultures is also found to be a promising option for devising effective training methods.

Executive Functions and Clinical and Academic Outcomes in Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1221-1230
Author(s):  
Jane Roitsch ◽  
Kimberly A. Murphy ◽  
Anastasia M. Raymer
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Academic Outcomes ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Praxis Ii ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
Preliminary Study

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate executive function measures as they relate to clinical and academic performance outcomes of graduate speech-language pathology students. Method An observational design incorporating correlations and stepwise multiple regressions was used to determine the strength of the relationships between clinical outcomes that occurred at various time points throughout the graduate program (clinical coursework grades throughout the program and case study paper scores at the end of the program), academic outcomes (graduate grade point average and Praxis II exam in speech-language pathology scores), and executive function (EF) scores (EF assessment scores, self-reported EF scores). Participants were 37 students (36 women, M age = 24.1) in a master's degree program in speech-language pathology at a southeastern U.S. university during the 2017–2018 academic year. Results Findings of this preliminary study indicated that a limited number of objective EF scores and self-reported EF scores were related to clinical and academic outcomes of graduate speech-language pathology students. Conclusion As results of this preliminary study suggest that EF tests may be related to clinical and academic outcomes, future research can move to study the potential role of EF measures in the graduate admissions process in clinical graduate programs such as speech-language pathology.

Building research capacity and capabilities in Fiji: are we there yet?

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 265-271
Author(s):  
Jyotishna Mudaliar ◽  
Bridget Kool ◽  
Janice Natasha ◽  
Judith McCool
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Research Knowledge ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Access And Quality ◽  
The University ◽  
Local Investigator ◽  
Research Capacity Development

Introduction: A barrier to local investigator-led research in low income settings, is the limited availability of personnel with appropriate research skills or qualifications to conduct the type of research required for evidence-informed policy making to improve access and quality of health care. In response to this, Fiji National University’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences in Fiji, collaborated with academics based at the University of Auckland, New Zealand to deliver a series of research capacity development workshops in Fiji. Methods: Participants who attended any of the nine workshops (n=123) were contacted via email to take part in a brief survey regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the research capacity building workshops. Of the possible 123 participants, 80% (n=76) completed the questionnaire.  Results: Findings demonstrate that the majority of participants reported that they had gained research skills from the workshops (75%) including proposal development skills (68%) and knowledge of appropriate research methods (59%). Furthermore, 70% agreed that the workshops built their research confidence.  Since attending a workshop, 18% of respondents had successfully applied and received funding for research grants and/or fellowships.  Barriers to conduct research included workload (75%), lack of research knowledge, experience or skills (51%), and lack of institutional support (41%). Suggestions for future workshops included: more focus on data analysis, regular courses rather than ‘one offs’, and preparation of research findings (e.g. publications). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that research workshops of this nature may increase individual research capabilities but sustained, locally led initiatives, backed by institutional and supplementary technical support are essential.

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