The Relationship between Executive and Psychosocial Functioning in Children Treated for a Brain Tumor

This study examined the relationship between executive and psychosocial functioning in 45 children and adolescents age 6 to 17 years who had been treated for a brain tumor. Executive functioning deficits can profoundly impact an adult's ability to function successfully in life. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the potential impact of executive functioning deficits on the day-to-day functioning in a pediatric population. The domains of executive functioning assessed included cognitive flexibility, conceptual thinking, sustained attention, and response inhibition. Psychosocial functioning was assessed using both parent and child report. Several significant relationships were found for adolescents ages 15 and older, with effect sizes ranging from medium to large. In particular, cognitive flexibility and conceptual thinking were significantly related to parent report of depression and adaptive functioning. Fewer significant relationships with smaller effect sizes were found for younger children. The results may reflect the developmental emergence of executive functioning abilities and late effects of executive functioning deficits upon psychosocial functioning. The correlational design of this study precludes definitive statements regarding the temporal nature of the relationship. Additional research, including longitudinal research and replicatory studies, will be needed to further investigate the developmental consequences of executive functioning impairment.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2001

Author dc:creator

• Falla, Karen M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Harrell, Ernest
• Guarnaccia, Charles A.
• Cox, Randall J.
• Chandler, Cynthia K.

• Cancer in children -- Psychological aspects.
• Cancer in adolescence -- Psychological aspects.
• Brain -- Tumors -- Treatment -- Complications.
• Tumors in children -- Treatment -- Complications.
• Tumors in adolescence -- Treatment -- Complications.
• Cognition in children.
• Cognition in adolescence.
• executive functioning
• psychosocial functioning
• brain tumor
• children
• adolescents

Statement dc:rights

• Use restricted to UNT Community
• Copyright
• Falla, Karen M.
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 51031662
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2848/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc2848

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc2848