Small Sets of Novel Words Are Fully Retained After 1-Week in Typically Developing Children and Down Syndrome: A Fast Mapping Study

Objectives: Down syndrome (DS) is a population with known hippocampal impairment, with studies showing that individuals with DS display difficulties in spatial navigation and remembering arbitrary bindings. Recent research has also demonstrated the importance of the hippocampus for novel word-learning. Based on these data, we aimed to determine whether individuals with DS show deficits in learning new labels and if they may benefit from encoding conditions thought to be less reliant on hippocampal function (i.e., through fast mapping). Methods: In the current study, we examined immediate, 5-min, and 1-week delayed word-learning across two learning conditions (e.g., explicit encoding vs. fast mapping). These conditions were examined across groups (twenty-six 3- to 5-year-old typically developing children and twenty-six 11- to 28-year-old individuals with DS with comparable verbal and nonverbal scores on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test – second edition) and in reference to sleep quality. Results: Both individuals with and without DS showed retention after a 1-week delay, and the current study found no benefit of the fast mapping condition in either group contrary to our expectations. Eye tracking data showed that preferential eye movements to target words were not present immediately but emerged after 1-week in both groups. Furthermore, sleep measures collected via actigraphy did not relate to retention in either group. Conclusions: This study presents novel data on long-term knowledge retention in reference to sleep patterns in DS and adds to a body of knowledge helping us to understand the processes of word-learning in typical and atypically developing populations. (JINS, 2018, 24, 955–965)

Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test Analysis of its Usefulness in Children Population for the Assessment of Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

IntroductionThe determination of IQ is essential in the assessment and diagnosis of children. There are multitude of tests, one of the most used are the Wechsler Scales.AimsHypothesis: Assessment of IQ is equivalent using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISCr) and Kaufman inteligence brief test (KBIT).Subjects Children undergoing treatment at Unit Child and Adolescent Mental Health of Talavera with determination IQ at some point in the intervention: 39 pairings determination of IQ subjects atended: 20 males and 19 females, aged between 4 and 14 years.MaterialSubjects are evaluated with KBIT and WISCr tests.MethodsDesign: Quasi-experimental with two conditions.Independent variables: IQ Total WISCr and age management KBIT (for eight years application of the full test, under this age not full test).Dependent variable: IQ KBIT.AnalysisCalculation of correlation between IQ by non-parametric test. Comparison between groups using non-parametric test for dependent data (sign test). Rejecting null hypothesis for alpha significance P < 0.05.ResultsPartial KBIT; 21 comments, 11 males, 10 females; Spearman r = .714 (P < .001); average estimate of 12.71 points higher in KBIT, Dt 18.07, sign test Z = –2.012 (P < .041).Full KBIT18 observations, 9 males, 9 females; Spearman r = .739 (P < .001); lower average estimate of 3.44 points in KBIT, Dt 12.43, sign test Z = –.236 (P < .815).ConclusionsThe results support high validity regardless of age management KBIT, although IQ scores obtained before 8 years should be considered with caution. The KBIT has the advantage of its shorter evaluation, however the information obtained from WISCr is wider.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Performance on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test-2 by Children With Williams Syndrome

We describe the performance of 292 4- to 17-year-olds with Williams syndrome (WS) on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test-2 (KBIT-2; Kaufman & Kaufman, 2004). Mean IQ Composite, Verbal standard score (SS), and Nonverbal SS were in the borderline range relative to the general population, with variability similar to the general population. Correlations between SSs and CA were close to 0, with no significant sex differences. There was a significant effect of maternal education on Verbal SS. The KBIT-2 appropriately captures the full range of performance of 8- to 17-year-olds with WS for the abilities measured and of all but the very lowest-functioning 5- to 7-year-olds. However, the KBIT-2 does not contain easy enough items to adequately assess the abilities of the lowest quartile of 4-year-olds.