Executive function in children born preterm

• In Event: Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Topic - Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Premature birth alters the regulation of the development of physiological, emotional, and behavioral processes, and with them, certain complications for the development of executive functions are present (Feldman, 2009). Executive functions refers to a set of cognitive processes involved in the self-regulation of emotion and goal-directed behavior (Diamond, 2013; Taylor & Clarck, 2016). Based on the Diamond model (2013), executive function involves three cognitive processes: working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. The study aimed to characterize the executive function, including the dimensions of cognitive flexibility, working memory and inhibitory control, and the effortful control factor of temperament, of children born preterm. The sample included 23 children born preterm (gestational age mean = 28 weeks [± 2]) with low birth weight (mean = 1,072 grams [± 280]) at 5-to-6-years-old (mean = 6 years [±0.9]) and their respective mothers. These children were admitted in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after birth with a developmental care program. In addition, after discharge they were attended at a multidisciplinary follow-up program in a tertiary university hospital. The executive function of the children was assessed by the Five Digits Test – FDT (Sedó, 2004), the Trail Making Test – TMT (Montiel & Seabra, 2012; Rabin, Barr, & Burton, 2005), and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - WISC-IV Wechsler, 2003; 2013). The mothers were interviewed using the Child Behavior Questionnaire - CBQ (Klein, Putnam, & Linhares, 2009; Rothbart, Putnam, & Gartstein, 2001) for child temperament assessment. The neonatal characteristics were collected by recorded medical. The descriptive statistical analysis was performed (SPSS version 25.0).
The findings showed that regarding cognitive flexibility assessed by Trail Making Test, most children (66%) performed below or very below average. However, when cognitive flexibility was assessed by Five Digits Test, 59% of children had an average or higher performance, demonstrating heterogeneity in the assessments. Regarding the inhibitory control, 50% of the children had a percentile of five or below, showing low performance. Concerning working memory, most children (83%) had an average rating. Children had an average of four points in the effortful control factor of temperament and their inhibitory control dimension, on a scale with a maximum value of seven points. The dimensions of low-intensity pleasure and perceptual sensitivity showed an average of five points. The only dimension that presented an average of three points refers to the attentional focusing. The findings of the study showed that the variability of the tests makes it difficult to assess executive functions. Still, despite this, children born prematurely had average scores in the assessments. The follow-up premature preventive programs should evaluate the executive function to track the children with more high risks for development problems.

Authors

• CAROLINA CRUVINEL SANDOVAL, Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
  Presenting Author

• Claudia Maria Gaspardo, University of Sao Paulo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maria Beatriz Martins Linhares, Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
  Non-Presenting Author