Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial of home-based computerized executive function training for children with cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral palsy (CP) is frequently associated with specific cognitive impairments, such as executive dysfunction which are related to participation and quality of life (QOL). The proposed study will examine whether a computerized executive function (EF) training programme could provide superior benefits for executive functioning, participation, QOL and brain plasticity, as compared to usual care. METHODS: A single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) design will be performed. Thirty children with CP aged 8 to 12 years will participate in a home-based computerized multi-modal executive training programme (12 weeks, 5 days a week, 30 min a day training, total dose = 30 h). Thirty children with CP matched by age, sex, motor and intelligence quotient (IQ) will compose the waitlist group. Cognitive, behavioural, emotional, participation and QOL measures will be obtained at three time points: before, immediately after and 9 months after completing the training. Additionally, structural and functional (resting state) magnetic resonance images (MRI) will be obtained in a subsample of 15 children from each group. Outcomes between groups will be compared following standard principles for RCTs. DISCUSSION: The study will test whether the cognitive training programme exerts a positive effect not only on neuropsychological and daily functioning of children with CP but also on other measures such as participation and QOL. We will also use brain MRI to test brain functional and structural changes after the intervention. If this on-line and home-based training programme proves effective, it could be a cost-effective intervention with short- and long-term effects on EF, participation or QOL in CP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04025749. Registered 19 July 2019. Retrospectively registered.

Vocabulary comprehension and strategies in name construction among children using aided communication.

Vocabulary learning reflects the language experiences of the child, both in typical and atypical development, although the vocabulary development of children who use aided communication may differ from children who use natural speech. This study compared the performance of children using aided communication with that of peers using natural speech on two measures of vocabulary knowledge: comprehension of graphic symbols and labeling of common objects. There were 92 participants not considered intellectually disabled in the aided group. The reference group consisted of 60 participants without known disorders. The comprehension task consisted of 63 items presented individually in each participant's graphic system, together with four colored line drawings. Participants were required to indicate which drawing corresponded to the symbol. In the expressive labelling task, 20 common objects presented in drawings had to be named. Both groups indicated the correct drawing for most of the items in the comprehension tasks, with a small advantage for the reference group. The reference group named most objects quickly and accurately, demonstrating that the objects were common and easily named. The aided language group named the majority correctly and in addition used a variety of naming strategies; they required more time than the reference group. The results give insights into lexical processing in aided communication and may have implications for aided language intervention.

¿Qué mide realmente el SCL 90R? Estructura factorial en una muestra mixta de universitarios y pacientes? / What does the SCL-90-R really measure? Factorial structure in a mixed sample of undergraduates and patients

El listado de comprobación de síntomas (Symptom Checklis-90-R, SCL-90-R; Derogatis, 1983,2002) evalúa supuestamente nueve dimensiones psicopatológicas específicas (p.ej., somatización, depresión) y proporciona, además, tres índices psicopatológicos globales. Sin embargo, numerosos análisis factoriales exploratorios y confirmatorios no han logrado validar su naturaleza dimensional. Se ha sugerido que esto podría ser debido a una variabilidad insuficiente en las muestras estudiadas. Por ello, se realizó un análisis factorial del SCL-90-R en una muestra combinada de estudiantes universitarios y pacientes. Las nueve dimensiones identificadas sólo coincidieron con las originales o se parecieron a las mismas en el nombre. En efecto, en la mayoría de los casos hubo una gran falta de concordancia entre los ítems que definían dimensiones de nombre idéntico o similar. Se concluye, por una parte, que la incapacidad para replicar la estructura factorial del SCL-90-R puede estar en gran parte motivada por la compleja estructura lógico semántica del cuestionario; y, por otra, que es altamente cuestionable interpretar las nueve dimensiones del SCL-90-R con propósitos clínicos y que parece más aconsejable utilizar el instrumento como una medida de psicopatología o malestar emocional general

The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R, Derogatis 1983, 2002) is meant to measure nine specific psychopathological dimensions (e.g., somatization, depression) and also provides three global psychopathological indices. However, a large number of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses have failed to validate their dimensional structure. One possible reason for this could be an insufficient variability in the samples used. To check this effect, a factor analysis of the SCL 90 R was carried out in a combined sample of undergraduates and patients. The nine dimensions identified only matched or approached the original ones in name. Indeed, in most cases there was a poor match among items corresponding to dimensions with identical or similar names. It is concluded, on one hand, that the failure to replicate the factorial structure of the SCL 90 R could be largely explained by the complex logico - semantic structure of the questionnaire; and, on the other hand, that it is highly questionable to interpret the nine SCL 90 R dimensions for any clinical purpose. Thus, it is more advisable to use the instrument as a measure of general emotional distress or psychopathology