Poor executive functioning in children born very preterm: Using dual-task methodology to untangle alternative theoretical interpretations

L. Delane; D.M. Bayliss; C. Campbell; C. Reid; N. French; M. Anderson

doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2016.08.002

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Poor executive functioning in children born very preterm: Using dual-task methodology to untangle alternative theoretical interpretations

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Poor executive functioning in children born very preterm: Using dual-task methodology to untangle alternative theoretical interpretations

L. Delane, D.M. Bayliss, C. Campbell, C. Reid, N. French and M. Anderson

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, Vol.152, pp.264-277

2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2016.08.002

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Abstract

Two alternative theoretical explanations have been proposed for the difficulties with executive functioning observed in children born very preterm (VP; ⩽32 weeks): a general vulnerability (i.e., in attentional and processing capacities), which has a cascading impact on increasingly complex cognitive functions, and a selective vulnerability in executive-level cognitive processes. It is difficult to tease apart this important theoretical distinction because executive functioning tasks are, by default, complex tasks. In the current study, an experimental dual-task design was employed to control for differences in task difficulty in order to isolate executive control. Participants included 50 VP children (mean age = 7.29 years) and 39 term peer controls (mean age = 7.28 years). The VP group exhibited a greater dual-task cost relative to controls despite experimental control for individual differences in baseline ability on the component single tasks. This group difference also remained under a condition of reduced task difficulty. These results suggest a selective vulnerability in executive-level processes that can be separated from any general vulnerability.

Details

Title: Poor executive functioning in children born very preterm: Using dual-task methodology to untangle alternative theoretical interpretations
Authors/Creators: L. Delane (Author/Creator) - School of Psychological Science
D.M. Bayliss (Author/Creator) - The University of Western Australia
C. Campbell (Author/Creator) - The University of Western Australia
C. Reid (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
N. French (Author/Creator) - The University of Western Australia
M. Anderson (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
Publication Details: Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, Vol.152, pp.264-277
Publisher: Elsevier
Identifiers: 991005541646107891
Copyright: © 2016 Elsevier Inc.
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Psychology and Exercise Science
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.72 Obstetrics & Gynecology; 1.72.748 Neonatal Intensive Care
Web Of Science research areas: Psychology, Developmental; Psychology, Experimental
ESI research areas: Psychiatry/Psychology