Executive functions and processing speed in children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities and externalizing behavior problems

Walter Matthys,Hilde Schuiringa,Bram Orobio de Castro,Maroesjka van Nieuwenhuijzen

doi:10.1080/09297049.2015.1135421

Abstract

ABSTRACTSeveral studies suggest impaired executive functions (EFs) in children with externalizing behavior problems and average intelligence (e.g., IQ > 85). Even though children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities (MBID) are at higher risk of developing externalizing behavior problems compared to children with average intelligence, it is not yet clear if impaired EFs are also associated with the occurrence of externalizing behavior problems in children with MBID. In the current study, we therefore assessed three EF components (inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory) as well as processing speed in children with MBID and externalizing behavior problems (n = 71) versus children with MBID with no such problems (n = 70). This was accomplished using a well-established computerized test battery. Even after IQ was controlled for, the children with MBID and externalizing behavior problems showed more impaired working memory performance. Differences for inhibition performance and processing speed were also found but less consistent across the tasks used to measure these aspects of EF. Cognitive flexibility was not more impaired in children with both MBID and externalizing behavior problems relative to children with MBID only. Our findings highlight working memory as a potential target to enhance the treatment of children with MBID and externalizing behavior problems.

Highlights

Externalizing behavior problems are generally assumed to be caused and maintained by the interplay between predisposing child vulnerabilities and adverse environmental circumstances (Dodge & Pettit, 2003)
ANCOVA analyses were conducted for all measures
This study is the first to examine the relation between executive functions (EFs) and externalizing behavior problems in children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities (MBID)

Summary

Introduction

Externalizing behavior problems are generally assumed to be caused and maintained by the interplay between predisposing child vulnerabilities and adverse environmental circumstances (Dodge & Pettit, 2003). See the meta-analysis by Oosterlaan et al, 1998), while others do not (Oosterlaan et al, 2005; Van Goozen et al, 2004) It seems that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and externalizing behavior problems resolve part of their developmental delay in inhibition from preschool age to school age (Schoemaker, Bunte, Espy, Deković, & Matthys, 2014). A recent study in children with MBID demonstrates a relation between cognitive flexibility and externalizing behavior in individuals aged 14–31 years with MBID. According to a meta-analysis, impairments in cognitive flexibility and working memory are associated with externalizing behavior problems in preschool children with average intelligence (defined here as IQ > 85; Schoemaker et al, 2013). EFs enable appropriate goal-directed behavior and are essential for children’s adaptive social functioning (e.g., McQuade et al, 2013)

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