ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is often identified in individuals with bipolar disorder and is associated with their functional impairment. However, there is controversy surrounding potential classification methods for impairment in cognitive measures. OBJECTIVE: To examine the proportion of cognitive measures indicating impairment of attention, processing speed, memory, visuoconstructional abilities, and executive functions in individuals with bipolar disorder type I (euthymic) and healthy controls, using a strict criterion for defining impairment. METHODS: We gave 43 individuals with bipolar disorder type I and 17 healthy controls a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment. All scores were standardized using means and standard deviations according to age. Impaired performance in all cognitive measures was determined using a distribution-based threshold of z=±1645. The effects of the sociodemographic and clinical variables on cognitive performance were examined using multiple stepwise backward regression analyses. RESULTS: Clinically significant cognitive impairment was observed more frequently in the bipolar disorder group, compared to controls, on all measures. From participant factors, we found that level of education and number of manic episodes predicted variation in more cognitive measure scores. DISCUSSION: The use of population-based norms to standardize cognitive measures, and a strict criterion to define cognitive impairment, in individuals with bipolar disorder type 1 and healthy controls resulted in a prevalence of impairment in cognitive domains' frequencies of deficits that fell within the ranges previously reported in meta-analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically introducing population norms and a stringent cognitive impairment criterion can facilitate more accurate measures of cognitive impairment in individuals with bipolar disorder.
Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/complications , Bipolar Disorder/psychology , Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology , Neuropsychological Tests/standards , Adolescent , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young AdultABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the effects of LEGO® therapy as an intervention for autism spectrum disorder through an integrative literature review. Methods: the study included a search of electronic databases, and nine empirical studies and three books, detailing the intervention method, were selected. Results: the studies identified quantifiable improvements in social behavior and language/communication after LEGO® therapy. Conclusion: LEGO® therapy is an intervention that favors motivation, interaction, and teamwork using a material that allows a variety of strategies, which have shown proven positive effects on the development of children with ASD.
RESUMO Objetivo: o objetivo desta revisão integrativa é analisar os efeitos da LEGO® Terapia como uma técnica de intervenção nas desordens do Transtorno do Espectro Autista, levantando informações sobre uma técnica de intervenção nos mesmos método terapêutico. Metódos: foi realizada uma pesquisa nas bases de dados eletrônicos e foram utilizados nove artigos que descrevem estudos empíricos de intervenção e três livros sobre o método. Resultados: os estudos identificaram melhoras quantificáveis no comportamento social e na linguagem/comunicação após a intervenção com este método. Conclusão: a LEGO® Terapia tem sido estudada por ser uma intervenção que favorece a motivação, a interação e o trabalho conjunto a partir de um material que permite uma variedade de estratégias, que tem seus efeitos comprovados na evolução do quadro dos indivíduos com TEA
