Columbia Mental Maturity Scale Research Articles

Challenges in Responding to the Columbia Mental Maturity Test by Algerian Children: A Field Study in the City of Ouargla

This study aims to identify the difficulties of responding to the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale (CMMS) among Algerian children, a field study carried in the city of Ouargla. This is through the case study and the exploratory-descriptive approach. The sample involved 100 children who were selected by a simple random method from regular primary schools during the school year 2023/2024. The said study attempts to answer the following questions: -What does the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale measure? -What cases does it apply to?

Expressive and receptive vocabulary in preschool children and socioeconomic factors

ABSTRACT Purpose: to assess the expressive and receptive vocabulary of preschool children and trace the relationship with different socioeconomic factors. Methods: 108 children, aged between 4 and 6 years, were evaluated, 84 from a public preschool and 24 from a private preschool, using the following instruments: CMMS - Columbia Mental Maturity Scale; ABFW; Peabody Image Vocabulary Test (PPVT); CONFIAS - Phonological Awareness: Sequential Assessment Instrument; Rapid Automatic Naming Test (NAR); Questionnaires for the definition of economic classification, general health and family habits. For statistical analyses, the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test, Bonferroni post hoc corrections to check significant differences and Spearman correlation were used. Results: the results found showed a statistically significant relationship between factors such as salary range, mother's and father's education and performance on tests of receptive and expressive vocabulary and mental maturity. Conclusion: evidence showed the relationship of socioeconomic factors with language development in preschoolers.

Association between motor performance, cognitive maturity and socio-demographic aspects in preschooler children

The identification of low motor proficiency in children of preschool age allows intervention programs to be proposed, to minimize the losses in school activities, social relationships and Physical Education classes. Thus, identifying the factors underlying low motor performance is essential, in an attempt to reduce possible motor disorders. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between motor performance, cognitive maturity and sociodemographic aspects in preschool children from Paraná. The participants were 357 preschoolers from 3,5 years to 5 years. The Columbia Mental Maturity Scale, Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 test and a sociodemographic data sheet were used. For statistical analysis, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Friedman (Wilcoxon) and binary logistic regression tests (p<0.05) were used. There was a high prevalence of low motor proficiency (16.8%), cognitive maturity (CM) on average age (67.2%) and socioeconomic level >R$1,500, 00 (45.5%). A significant association was observed between higher CM and low motor proficiency, indicating the upper CM as a protective factor for low motor proficiency (OR 0.513 IC 95% 0,266-1,000). The socio-demographic factors were not intervening in the motor performance (MP). It was concluded that the upper CM in children in early childhood acts as a protective factor for the low motor proficiency and that the socio-demographic factors of the family were not associated with MP and the CM of the preschoolers.

Assessment of Language Abilities in Minority Adolescents and Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Extensive Special Education Needs: A Pilot Study.

Purpose Little is known about the language abilities of adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) despite the importance of language in their other life outcomes. Even less is known about the language abilities of racial/ethnic minorities with ASD and extensive special education needs. These gaps limit our understanding of adolescents and young adults with ASD. Method A pilot study evaluated the efficacy of individualized age-referenced language assessment for minority adolescents and young adults with ASD in self-contained special education settings. Participants (n = 10) completed the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Third Edition, Test for Early Grammatical Impairment (TEGI), Columbia Mental Maturity Scale, and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition Digit Span. Results Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Third Edition scores showed little variation, with most participants showing a floor effect. TEGI, Columbia Mental Maturity Scale, and Digit Span scores showed greater variation. Some participants had ceiling TEGI scores, and some had variable assessment profiles. Conclusion Assessment was sensitive to variability across some measures. The pilot study outcomes support the feasibility and potential informativeness of additional investigation of conventional language assessments and change over time.

Cognitive and behavioral profile of Williams Syndrome toddlers.

To verify indicators of cognitive development, receptive language skills and adaptive behavioral patterns in toddlers with Williams syndrome (WS). The sample comprised 8 children of both sex, aged between 48 and 72 months with WS. Instruments of data collection were Denver Developmental Screening Test II; Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale; Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½-5and 6 to 18; Columbia Mental Maturity Scale (CMMS), and Behavior Problems Inventory-01. The major developmental impairments were associated with fine motor skills and personal care abilities. Deficits in receptive language and communication skills were reported according to the PPVT and Denver II, respectively. The caregivers reported behavioral and emotional problems associated to anxiety and depression, and attention problems scales of CBCL. The toddlers demonstrated deficits in adaptive functioning and behavioral, motor and cognitive difficulties such as inattention and hyperactivity, stereotypies and aggressive behavior.

Development of a version of the self-ordered pointing task: a working memory task for Brazilian preschoolers

Objective: Working memory is a fundamental cognitive function and is predictive of outcomes and achievement in a wide range of domains from an early age. The focus of this study was to develop a computerized Brazilian version of the Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT) for preschoolers and to provide initial normative and validation data for this task. Methods: The sample of the present study was composed of 248 children aged 3 (n = 41), 4 (n = 88) and 5 (n = 119) years from 13 private and public schools in Belo Horizonte. Children were evaluated with the SOPT and the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale (CMMS), a measure of intelligence, and their parents completed the Brazilian Criterion of Economic Classification (CCEB) to assess their SES. A subsample of parents of 184 children also filled the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 11/2–5 years (CBCL 11/2–5), a measure of psychopathology. Results: A multiple regression analysis found chronological age, intelligence, and SES to be predictive of performance on the SOPT. Furthermore, five-year olds performed better than three- and four-year olds in the task. A difference between children in private and public kindergartens also emerged. Additionally, SOPT performance was negatively correlated with Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total psychopathological problems, as well as to several other psychopathological measures as accessed by the CBCL, although the correlations were small. Conclusion: Taken together, this study provides initial normative and validation data for the SOPT, but further validation studies are needed.

The effects of kangaroo mother care in a sample of preterm, preschool aged children

<b>Background</b><br /> The research has shown that kangaroo mother care has a protective impact both on health and future cognitive skills of prematurely born babies. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between the early skin-to-skin contact and the cognitive and emotional-social functioning of preschool aged preterm babies.<br /> <br /> <b>Participants and procedure</b><br /> The study group included 99 preterm babies. The children participated in a psychological examination conducted using the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale and the Terman-Merrill Test. The data concerning the skin-to-skin contact during the child’s hospitalisation were acquired during interviews with mothers. The emotional development was assessed on the basis of interviews with mothers, conducted using the Rescorla DSM-IV Orientation Scale (2005).<br /> <br /> <b>Results</b><br /> The study showed no relation between kangaroo mother care and cognitive development. Nevertheless the early skin-to-skin contact turned out to be connected with the emotional functioning of the subjects. Preterm babies who used to experience kangaroo mother care experienced fewer anxiety and depressive disorders than those who did not. In addition it was revealed that the children who suffered from early damage to the brain in the forms of intraventricular and periventricular haemorrhages and experienced kangaroo mother care demonstrated less intense depressive symptoms than those who did not.<br /> <br /> <b>Conclusions</b><br /> The obtained results, combined with the review of the foreign literature of the subject, indicate the usefulness of introducing kangaroo mother care to neonatal wards and encouraging parents to care about their prematurely born babies in such a way.

Preterm children have unfavorable motor, cognitive, and functional performance when compared to term children of preschool age

Objectiveto compare the motor coordination, cognitive, and functional development of preterm and term children at the age of 4 years. Methodsthis was a cross‐sectional study of 124 four‐year‐old children, distributed in two different groups, according to gestational age and birth weight, paired by gender, age, and socioeconomic level. All children were evaluated by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children – second edition (MABC‐2), the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI), and the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale (CMMS). Resultspreterm children had worse performance in all tests, and 29.1% of the preterm and 6.5% of term groups had scores on the MABC‐2 indicative of motor coordination disorder (p=0.002). In the CMMS (p=0.034), the median of the standardized score for the preterm group was 99.0 (± 13.75) and 103.0 (± 12.25) for the term group; on the PEDI, preterm children showed more limited skill repertoire (p=0.001) and required more assistance from the caregiver (p=0.010) than term children. Conclusionthis study reinforced the evidence that preterm children from different socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to have motor, cognitive, and functional development impairment, detectable before school age, than their term peers.

Preterm children have unfavorable motor, cognitive, and functional performance when compared to term children of preschool age

Objectiveto compare the motor coordination, cognitive, and functional development of preterm and term children at the age of 4 years. Methodsthis was a cross‐sectional study of 124 four‐year‐old children, distributed in two different groups, according to gestational age and birth weight, paired by gender, age, and socioeconomic level. All children were evaluated by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children – second edition (MABC‐2), the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI), and the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale (CMMS). Resultspreterm children had worse performance in all tests, and 29.1% of the preterm and 6.5% of term groups had scores on the MABC‐2 indicative of motor coordination disorder (p=0.002). In the CMMS (p=0.034), the median of the standardized score for the preterm group was 99.0 (± 13.75) and 103.0 (± 12.25) for the term group; on the PEDI, preterm children showed more limited skill repertoire (p=0.001) and required more assistance from the caregiver (p=0.010) than term children. Conclusionthis study reinforced the evidence that preterm children from different socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to have motor, cognitive, and functional development impairment, detectable before school age, than their term peers.

Intelligence assessments for children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review

Cerebral palsy (CP) is defined as a primary disorder of posture and movement; however, approximately 45% of children with CP also have an intellectual impairment. Prevalence estimates are limited by a lack of guidelines for intelligence testing. This systematic review aims to identify and examine intelligence assessments for children with CP. Electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, EMBASE, and ERIC) were searched to identify assessments that (1) measured intellectual function, (2) in children aged 4 to 18 years, (3) with CP, and (4) with psychometrics available. Searches yielded 48 assessments, of which nine provided psychometric data for children with CP. The included tests were the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale, the Leiter International Performance Scale, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the Pictorial Test of Intelligence, the Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices, the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. Intelligence assessments in children with CP lack reliability data, consensus regarding validity data, and population-specific norms. Research is required to establish psychometrics for children with CP. For children with higher motor involvement and/or communication and/or visual impairments, multiple options are required to assess intelligence appropriately.

Development of a computerised version of the Children's Gambling Task for the evaluation of affective decision-making in Brazilian preschool children

Despite the large number of instruments developed to assess the more purely cognitive executive functions in Brazilian children, few studies have developed instruments for the assessment of the most motivational components of these functions. The primary aim of this study was to develop a computerised version of the Children’s Gambling Task (CGT) to assess affective decision-making in preschoolers. The present study also aimed to investigate whether this version of the task is sensitive to developmental changes across the preschool period and to examine gender differences in decision-making. We administered the CGT and the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale (CMMS) to 137 Brazilian children between the ages of three and five years old. Age differences between three-and four-year-olds, but not between four-and five-year-olds were found. Gender differences were not found. From this preliminary study, the computerised version of the CGT for Brazilian child population proved to be suitable for Brazilian child population.

Do general intellectual functioning and socioeconomic status account for performance on the Children's Gambling Task?

Studies that use the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and its age-appropriate versions as indices of affective decision-making during childhood and adolescence have demonstrated significant individual differences in scores. Our study investigated the association between general intellectual functioning and socioeconomic status (SES) and its effect on the development of affective decision-making in preschoolers by using a computerized version of the Children's Gambling Task (CGT). We administered the CGT and the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale (CMMS) to 137 Brazilian children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old to assess their general intellectual functioning. We also used the Brazilian Criterion of Economic Classification (CCEB) to assess their SES. Age differences between 3- and 4-years-old, but not between 4- and 5-years-old, confirmed the results obtained by Kerr and Zelazo (2004), indicating the rapid development of affective decision-making during the preschool period. Both 4- and 5-years-old performed significantly above chance on blocks 3, 4, and 5 of the CGT, whereas 3-years-old mean scores did not differ from chance. We found that general intellectual functioning was not related to affective decision-making. On the other hand, our findings showed that children with high SES performed better on the last block of the CGT in comparison to children with low SES, which indicates that children from the former group seem more likely to use the information about the gain/loss aspects of the decks to efficiently choose cards from the advantageous deck throughout the task.

Evidências de validade da Bateria Informatizada de Linguagem Oral com prova de raciocínio

Este estudo buscou relacionar a compreensão da linguagem oral com a habilidade de raciocinar, visando evidenciar validade correlacional para a Bateria Informatizada de Linguagem Oral por meio da associação com a Escala de Maturidade Mental Colúmbia. Participaram do estudo 82 alunos com idade entre 5 e 9 anos (M=7,05; DP=1,25), sendo 47,6% do sexo feminino. Frequentavam o pré (31,7%) e a 1ª (32,9%) e 2ª (35,4%) séries do Ensino Fundamental de escola pública do interior paulista. Aplicou-se coletivamente a Bateria e individualmente a Escala de Maturidade Mental Colúmbia. A Análise de Variância, por série, indicou diferença significativa para as provas de Compreensão Morfossintática, Sequência Lógica, Organização Lógico-Verbal e escore total da Bateria. A análise de regressão revelou que o raciocínio geral representa 29% das habilidades necessárias para um bom desempenho na Bateria. Verificou-se correlação baixa entre escores totais da Bateria e do Colúmbia, porém muito significativa. Constataram-se evidências de validade correlacional e de critério, para a Bateria.

Intrauterine myelomeningocele repair Postnatal results and follow-up at 3.5 years of age — initial experience from a single reference service in Brazil

Present the outcomes of six cases submitted to intrauterine myelomeningocele (MMC) repair. Descriptive observational study of six children submitted to antenatal surgical repair of MMC between 26 and 27 weeks gestation. All deliveries were through cesarean section. The following neonatal variables were assessed: gestational age at delivery, birth weight, Apgar scores, need for intubation, duration of hospital stay and need for postnatal shunt procedures. After 3.5 years, the children were evaluated using the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale or Denver II tests and the Hoffer Ambulation Scale. All deliveries were preterm at a mean gestational age of 32 + 4 weeks and mean birth weight was 1,942 g. Two infants had Apgar scores <7 at 1 min and 1 at 5 min. Ventricular-peritoneal shunts were placed in two cases. All six children are alive: five have normal cognitive development and one has a neuropsychomotor developmental delay. Two children had normal leg movements, a sacral functional level and are community ambulators. Three children had upper lumbar anatomical level lesions and one had a lower thoracic level lesion at the time of fetal surgery. One child, with an L1-L2 anatomical level lesion, in noambulatory and fully dependent on a wheelchair for mobility. Antenatal surgical repair of MMC reduced the need for postnatal shunt placements. Despite preterm delivery, the cognitive development of most children at 3.5 years was normal. Antenatal surgery seemed to improve lower limb motor function in these cases.

Avaliação da eficácia do software "Alfabetização Fônica" para alunos com deficiência mental

o objetivo do estudo foi verificar a eficácia da intervenção com o software Alfabetização Fônica Computadorizada em alunos com deficiência mental. O software possibilita a realização de atividades que desenvolvem a consciência fonológica e a compreensão das relações grafofonêmicas. Participaram do estudo 22 crianças e adolescentes com idades entre 10 a 17 anos. Foi feita avaliação inicial do nível intelectual com a Escala de Maturidade Mental Columbia e a Escala de Inteligência Weschsler para Crianças. Os participantes foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: experimental e controle. Os grupos foram pareados por sexo, idade e nível de inteligência. A Bateria de Avaliação de Leitura e Escrita e a Prova de Consciência Fonológica por Produção Oral foram aplicadas no início e término do estudo. Dezesseis sessões individuais com o software "Alfabetização Fônica Computadorizada" foram conduzidas com os participantes do grupo experimental. Os resultados indicaram melhora nas habilidades de escrita e leitura e nos indicadores de consciência fonológica apenas para as crianças e adolescentes do grupo experimental. Comparação com dados normativos identificaram que os participantes do grupo experimental apresentavam um desempenho semelhante ao de crianças no final do ensino infantil e, após a intervenção o desempenho era semelhante aqueles da 2ª série do ensino fundamental.

Neurological, Cognitive, and Behavioural Outcome of Higher Order Multiple Births

The purpose of this study was to assess the neurodevelopmental outcome in a larger cohort of higher order multiple births (HOM). To accomplish this, we analysed the perinatal records of 90 HOM from 28 pregnancies (69 triplets, 16 quadruplets and 5 quintuplets) born at the University Hospital Kiel during the period from 1980 to 1994. Sixty-eight out of 79 surviving children (87.2%) were re-examined at a median age of 7.8 years (range: 3 to 14.5 years). Re-examination included assessment of the neurological, psychomotor (Denver developmental scale, Columbia mental maturity scale), and behavioural (childhood behaviour checklist) status. Perinatal mortality was 12%. In 62% of subjects, neurological and cognitive status at follow-up were completely normal; 32% revealed minor and 6% major neurodevelopmental deficits. Comparison between VLBW and LBW HOM disclosed significantly more neurological deficits, lower IQs and more behaviour problems in children with VLBW. Especially social problems, attention deficit, anxiety and depression symptoms were more frequent in the VLBW HOM than in the LBW HOM group. VLBW HOM parents felt significantly more stressed and VLBW HOM mothers reported reduced coping skills. These findings suggest that the overall cognitive and neurological outcome of HOM surviving the neonatal period is good, but that minor neurocognitive deficits are frequent. LBW HOM have less neurological and behaviour problems than VLBW HOM.

The Measurement of Intelligence in Children with Cerebral Palsy: The Columbia Mental Maturity Scale

The Measurement of Intelligence in Children with Cerebral Palsy: The Columbia Mental Maturity Scale

Neurodevelopmental outcome and haematological course of a long‐time survivor with homozygous alpha‐thalassaemia: Case report and review of the literature

Homozygous alpha-thalassaemia, also called haemoglobin (Hb) Bart's hydrops fetalis, has been thought to be a lethal condition. Due to prenatal diagnosis and intrauterine blood transfusions, a few patients with Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis have survived. This fact raises the urgent questions of clinical management and appropriate follow-up of these patients, both of which are addressed in this article. We report on a 6.5-y-old patient with homozygous alpha-thalassaemia and review the literature of 13 other survivors published to date. Transfusion requirements were evaluated and the rate of liver iron accumulation was assessed by biomagnetic liver susceptometry before and after institution of iron-chelating therapy. Psychometric evaluation was carried out using Munich's Functional Development Test, the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale, the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Our patient had significant delay of psychomotor development. Psychometric evaluation at the age of 5 y revealed an IQ of 85 and an intellectual level of a 4-y-old child. Early tissue iron overload was seen, but a negative iron balance was achieved after institution of desferrioxamine treatment at dosages used for beta-thalassaemia. Homozygous alpha-thalassaemia should no longer be regarded as a lethal condition. Early intervention during pregnancy and careful haematological as well as neuropsychological follow-up was able to provide long-term survival and good life quality in our patient.

Chronological Age and Receptive Vocabulary of Persons with down Syndrome

The Test de Vocabulaire en Images (the French version of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test) and the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale were administered to 29 participants with Down syndrome aged 6.1 yr. to 13.0 yr. Analysis indicated a significant association between chronological age and the Test de Vocabulaire en Images mental age. This finding seems to suggest that the relationship between chronological age and the receptive vocabulary of persons with mental retardation is not specific to etiology.

CHRONOLOGICAL AGE AND RECEPTIVE VOCABULARY OF PERSONS WITH DOWN SYNDROME

The Test de Vocabulaire en Images (the French version of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test) and the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale were administered to 29 participants with Down syndrome aged 6.1 yr. to 13.0 yr. Analysis indicated a significant association between chronological age and the Test de Vocabulaire en Images mental age. This finding seems to suggest that the relationship between chronological age and the receptive vocabulary of persons with mental retardation is not specific to etiology.