Attachment security, verbal ability, and inhibitory control in middle childhood

Background The relationship between parent–child attachment and executive function (EF) in middle childhood remains relatively poorly studied. Very little is known about the role that the child’s verbal ability might play in these relationships. Therefore, in the present study, we explored the concurrent links between perceived attachment security with parents and hot and cool inhibitory control (IC)—a core component of EF—as well as the potential mediating role of verbal ability in those links. Methods The participants were 160 children aged 8 to 12 (51% girls). They completed the Attachment Security Scale, the computerised version of the go/no-go task, the delay discounting task, and the vocabulary subtest from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Pearson’s correlations were conducted to test relationships between the study variables. A hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine whether attachment security uniquely contributed to the outcomes after accounting for covariates. The indirect effects were tested using a non-parametric resampling bootstrap approach. Results The results showed that, after accounting for the child’s age and sex, there was a direct relationship between attachment security with the father and cool, but not hot, IC. However, there were no significant links between attachment security with the mother and both aspects of IC. We also found that children’s verbal ability played a mediating role in the associations between both child–father and child–mother attachment security and hot, but not cool, IC above and beyond the child’s age. Conclusions The current study extends previous work on executive functions in middle childhood. The results highlight the role of attachment in explaining individual differences in IC in middle childhood as well as the different mechanisms through which attachment with parents might explain cool vs. hot IC. The findings have potential implications for therapeutic interventions using the family context as a target to improve IC in middle childhood.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN COGNITIVE INDICATORS IN PRESCHOOL AND PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

Background. Sex differences in the study of the cognitive domain are significant for the interpretation of data in different fields; however, the nature of the differences remains an open question. This article presents the results of a study of gender differences in cognitive performance in children of preschool and primary school age. Objective. To study gender differences in the cognitive performance in children of preschool and primary school age. Methods. The sample consisted of students from kindergartens and schools in Moscow (N = 301). Two versions of the Wechsler Test were used as the main instruments for diagnosing cognitive abilities: the Wechsler test for preschoolers (WPPSI-IV) and the Wechsler children’s test (WISC-V). Analysis of the results used Student’s t-test and a measure of the effect size (Cohen’s d). Results. The effect of gender on cognitive performance varies significantly depending on the age of the children. The most pronounced gender differences were identified among children of early preschool age: girls received significantly higher scores on the index of verbal comprehension and the general intelligence scale. In the children of middle and older preschool age, there were no statistically significant gender differences for any evaluated parameter. In the younger schoolchildren, differences between boys and girls were found in the speed of information processing and the vocabulary subtest. Girls were ahead of boys in completing tasks included in the information-processing speed index, while boys were better at completing the vocabulary subtest.

Relations Between Acculturation and Cognitive Outcomes in a Sample of Latino Preschool Children

Objective Culture and ethnicity significantly affect cognitive test performance of adults and children. However, no prior studies have examined the effect of acculturation on the cognitive test performance of toddlers. This study examined the relationship between parental acculturation and cognitive test scores among Latino preschoolers. Participants and Method In this study, 1300 Latino toddlers (50% F; M age = 53.7 months, SD = 5.2) completed the Definitional Vocabulary subtest of the Test of Preschool Early Literacy (TOPEL), the Revised Get Ready to Read Screening Tool (GRTR) and, if they spoke Spanish, the Definitional Vocabulary subtest of the Spanish Early Literacy Assessment (SPELA) pre-intervention. Parents completed the Acculturation Scale for Mexican Americans (ARMAS) for a measure of acculturation. Results Exploratory SEM of the ARMAS revealed 4 factors: 2 language preference factors and 2 cultural identity factors. All factors were significantly related to cognitive outcomes (ps < .001) - except for the Latin Identity factor’s relation to the GRTR. English Language Preferences (ELP) and Anglo Identity (AI) factors showed positive associations to tests administered in English; as test scores increased along with ELP and AI. For SPELA, as test scores increased, ELP and AI decreased. For Spanish Language Preferences and Latin Identity factors, relations with test scores were the opposite of those for ELP and AI. Multiple regression analyses showed that both ARMAS language factors uniquely predicted SPELA scores (R2 = .17), and the ELP factor uniquely predicted TOPEL (R2 = .30) and GRTR (R2 = .16) scores. The ARMAS identity factors did not uniquely predict any test score. Conclusions Acculturation does impact performance on cognitive measures. Importantly, language preferences have a larger effect on cognitive outcomes than identity factors. Findings support the need to consider cultural variables when interpreting outcomes on cognitive tests in toddlers, particularly language preferences.

A-83 The Applicability of the Word Accentuation Test (WAT) in a Diverse Spanish Speaking Population: A Pilot Study

Objective A valid estimate of premorbid ability (PA) is important when attempting to identify cognitive decline. Measures of PA in English have been widely validated, but there is a lack of PA instruments for Spanish speakers. The findings of a pilot study assessing the feasibility of using the Word Accentuation Test (WAT) as a PA measure in a diverse, traditionally underserved, Spanish speaking population are described. Method The WAT was administered as part of comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations and neurobehavioral status exams (NBSE) completed with Spanish speaking patients at Montefiore Medical Center (MMC) in a 6-month period. Sixty-one patients completed the WAT- 12 as part of comprehensive testing (mean age 60 (SD 11.05) range 43-80, 67% female) and 49 during NBSEs within the context of multidisciplinary memory disorders clinics (mean age 74.35 (SD 8.60) range 51-93, 80% female). T-tests and correlations with WAT performances were completed. Results Overall, our population correctly read an average of 19.67 (SD 7.61) words. There was no statistical difference by gender or age, but years of education predicted WAT performance (p = .004). For those individuals who had comprehensive cognitive evaluations, WAT scores were correlated with performance on the vocabulary subtest of the EIWA-III (p = .003). All patients without severe dementia were able to complete the task. Conclusions Analysis of pilot data from our diverse Spanish population demonstrated that the WAT is an PA appropriate task that appears to have good correlation with years of education and vocabulary performance. Additional research is necessary to validate the measure in this cohort and other cohorts.

A Pilot Study of Dynamic Assessment of Vocabulary in German for Bilingual Preschoolers in Switzerland

The vocabulary subtest of the Dynamic Assessment of Preschoolers’ Proficiency in Learning English (DAPPLE) was adapted in German and administered to 6 typically developing and 6 language-impaired bilingual preschoolers in Switzerland, as part of a short pilot project. The children were, also, assessed with a standardized test of vocabulary. Our aim was to determine whether the dynamic test would lead to a more accurate classification of the two groups (and their linguistic skills) than the standardized test. Overall, the findings confirm our initial question and are in line with the results of the DAPPLE study. This small-scale study may, therefore, be considered as a successful-initial-version of the vocabulary part of the DAPPLE in German. It, also, provides the basis for the creation of a more elaborate version of the DAPPLE battery and of a more comprehensive dynamic screening of bilingual children’s ability to learn German. Future adaptations and improvements are discussed.