The present study investigated the effectiveness of a newly developed 8-week meditation program, which included chanting and meditation, on executive functions (EFs) in school-age children. Twenty-five students assigned to an experimental group participated in the meditation program, engaging in daily and weekly activities for 8 weeks. Another 25 students served as a control group and participated in regular school activities. Pretest and posttest assessments included the n-back task for working memory, the go/no-go task for inhibition, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) for cognitive flexibility. A mixed repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to analyze interaction effects, within-group differences, and between-group differences. The experimental group demonstrated greater improvement compared to the control group across several measures: (1) reaction time in the 1-back task, (2) correct responses in the no-go condition of the go/no-go task, and (3) percentage of correct responses, errors, perseverative errors, non-perseverative errors, perseverative responses, and conceptual level responses in the WCST ( < 0.001). These findings underscore the potential benefits of an 8-week school-based meditation program incorporating chanting and meditation for enhancing EFs in school-age children.

This study aimed to develop a Persian Reading Comprehension Test (PRCT) and establish its psychometric properties in Persian-speaking students from fourth to sixth grades. 36 texts and 150 questions were created for the PRCT. The texts and questions were reviewed by 11 experts to ensure content validity. Then, the remaining texts and questions were tested on 5 students in Tehran schools to assess face validity. After this, the test's difficulty and discrimination indexes were determined on 30 students. Finally, 12 texts and 40 questions were selected for the test. PRCT was conducted on 295 students with normal reading skills and 16 students with suspected reading disorders (SRD) to evaluate psychometric properties. The results indicated a significant difference in scores of the PRCT across all three educational levels. There was a significant difference between students with normal reading skills and those with SRD (U = 61.5,  < .001,  = .373). The correlation between the total score of the PRCT and the text comprehension subtest of the NEMA was calculated ( = .424,  = .039). The test-retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the PRCT were 0.888 and 0.828, respectively. It appears that the PRCT is a standard test with suitable psychometric properties for evaluating reading comprehension.

Previous research has suggested that children with Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) share similar clinical profiles to those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Three groups of children were identified for the purpose of the current study: NLD ( = 41), ASD ( = 55), and ASD with a NLD profile ( = 17). Children who met DSM-5 criteria for ASD after a neuropsychological evaluation were included in this sample. The NLD group was defined by VSI < VCI, with a minimum of a 15-point discrepancy between indices and average to above average verbal intelligence, whereas children who met DSM-5 criteria for ASD and also demonstrated visual-spatial deficits met criteria for the NLD + ASD group. As anticipated, the ASD group performed better on measures of VSI compared to the NLD and ASD + NLD groups. There was not a significant difference between groups on measures of visuomotor and construction abilities, visual integration, motor processing speed, and academic achievement. No significant differences between groups were found on the CBCL/TRF Social Problems, Attention Problems, or Internalizing/Externalizing Problems scales, indicating similar phenotypes. However, there was a significant difference between groups on the Thought Problems subscale for teacher and parent rating scales. Results corroborate previous research indicating similarities between neuropsychological profiles and suggest that the ASEBA Thought Problems scale may aid in discriminating individuals with ASD from those with NLD.

This study evaluates the neuropsychological profiles of three adolescent females with suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study was conducted at My Blue Side, a support organization in Southern Tenerife. The research included a detailed assessment using standardized neuropsychological tests to identify the neuropsychological characteristics associated with ASD in adolescent females. The primary objective was to delineate the neuropsychological profile of each participant and its relationship with their daily functioning. Three participants underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment incorporating the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), the Autonomous Scale for the Detection of Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V), the D2 test, Five-Digit Test (FDT), Spain-Complutense Verbal Learning Test (TAVCI), Rey Complex Figure (RCF) and Executive Functioning Questionnaire (EFECO). The study design aimed to provide a thorough understanding of each participant's neuropsychological profile and its potential impact on their daily functioning. The results indicated significant ASD markers across the participants, with substantial variability in neuropsychological capabilities, particularly in working memory and executive functioning. These deficits impacted daily functioning and emotional regulation. The assessments also highlighted challenges in verbal and visual learning, as well as difficulties with spontaneous recall. These findings underscore the need for interventions to consider these neuropsychological characteristics and their relationship with the daily challenges faced by females with ASD and their families, beyond the core symptoms of the disorder.

Children spend most of their waking hours sedentary and reducing this behavior has been challenging. Interrupting prolonged episodes of sedentary behavior with active breaks can provide mental and cognitive health benefits. Considering the multifactorial nature of these health aspects, this study aimed to verify the role of body mass index (BMI), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in the relationship between the break in sedentary time with cognitive and mental health in children. This is a cross-sectional study with 129 children (62 boys), aged between 6 and 11 years (mean 8.73 ± 1.53) from a public school in southern Brazil. For the assessment of fluid intelligence, psychologists applied Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices test. Mental health was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Sedentary breaks were measured using accelerometers, and CRF was determined using the 6-min walk test. Generalized linear regression analyses were used to verify associations of sedentary breaks with fluid intelligence and mental health, according to children's BMI, CRF, and MVPA. All models were adjusted for sex, age, somatic maturation, and total time of accelerometer use. Our results indicated that sedentary breaks were associated with fluid intelligence in overweight/obese ( = 0.108;  = 0.021) and physically inactive children ( = 0.083;  = 0.010). Regarding mental health, no association was identified with sedentary breaks. In conclusion, sedentary breaks should be encouraged for the benefits of fluid intelligence, especially in children who do not meet physical activity recommendations and are overweight.

While it has been established that cultural differences in test performance are common, few studies have compared groups from different countries that speak the same language. The aim of this study was to investigate the generalizability of selected linguistic and verbal memory subtests from the Swedish NEPSY-II to the Finland-Swedish minority group. The participants were 275 Swedish-speaking children from Finland aged 5-16-years. The performance was compared to the U.S. norms used in the test. The Finland-Swedish children scored around scaled score 12 and significantly higher than the normative mean on the subtests Comprehension of Instructions, Phonological Processing, Word Generation Semantic, List Memory, and Sentence Repetition, whereas no significant differences to the norms emerged for the subtests Word Generation Initial Letter, Narrative Memory, and Word List Interference. There was a significant age effect for two subtests, with scaled scores increasing with age. Lower parental education and male sex were associated with lower test scores on some subtests, whereas bilingualism was not. The findings were viewed in relation to previous comparison studies involving the NEPSY-II/NEPSY. The differences were suggested to relate to cultural, educational, and test-related differences between Finland, Sweden, and the U.S. The results add to the clinical utility of the NEPSY-II.

Survivors of childhood Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) often report chronic and debilitating neurocognitive late effects. While short-term clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of methylphenidate in improving neurocognitive performance within the early phases of recovery, its effectiveness over longer treatment periods remains largely unexplored. The present systematic review aims to evaluate whether methylphenidate may serve as a beneficial long-term rehabilitative strategy for improving neuropsychological outcomes in childhood ABI. Database searches were conducted in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library from their inception to March 2023. Studies containing a neurocognitive, psychosocial, or quality of life outcome measure were included. A purpose-developed evaluation tool was used to assess the quality of the evidence base. Six of the 1926 identified articles were included within this review. Results drew upon three clinical populations; brain tumor ( = 76), acute lymphoblastic leukemia ( = 33), and epilepsy and other EEG abnormalities ( = 166). Study durations ranged between six to 12 months. Methylphenidate was associated with sustained improvements in attentional functioning, processing speed, social skills, and quality of life, with benefits extending beyond the initial recovery phase and into future development. Side effects of methylphenidate use were reported to be mild and temporary.

The present study aims to investigate morphosyntactic and semantic measures in bilingual Azeri-Persian-speaking children aged 5.5-6.5 years with and without language impairment. In this cross-sectional study, the bilingual participants were thirty children with language impairment (LI) and fifteen typically developing children (TD) who were selected from nurseries and Speech therapy clinics. The language samples were collected through story-telling in Azeri and Persian languages, separately. The linguistic analysis was done based on morphosyntactic and semantic parameters. The Alberta Language and Development Questionnaire (ALDeQ) parent report questionnaire was completed via interviewing with the parents to differentiate language impairment from language differences. Study findings revealed a significant difference between the morphosyntactic and semantic scores in two groups of bilingual Azeri-Persian speaking LI and TD children ( ˂ 0.05). Also, the results demonstrated no significant relationship between the scores of linguistic scores and age in LI and TD children ( < 0.05). According to the result of the study, morphosyntactic and semantic parameters of language samples in bilingual Azeri-Persian-speaking children could be utilized to provide diagnostic information for speech and language pathologists in LI children among bilingual Azeri-Persian communities.

The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-Third Edition (GARS-3) has emerged as a pivotal instrument in the diagnostic assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with its utility extending across linguistic and cultural boundaries. This study endeavors to adapt and validate the GARS-3 for the Arabic-speaking population, addressing the paucity of culturally congruent diagnostic tools in the Arab world. The primary objective is to validate the Arabic version of GARS-3 (A-GARS-3) to assess children with and without ASD, ensuring the scale's reliability and validity within the target population. A methodical cross-sectional study design was employed, encompassing a sample of 178 participants from both educational and clinical settings in Saudi Arabia. The process involved direct translation, expert panel review, back-translation, and pilot testing to ensure semantic equivalence and cultural relevance. Data were collected using the A-GARS-3, and analyses included Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA and CFA), internal consistency reliability measures, and a One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to establish concurrent validity. The A-GARS-3 demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.971; McDonald's omega = 0.972) and strong construct validity, with factor loadings and model fit indices substantiating the factor structure. Predictive validity was confirmed through significant correlations between the Autism Index and the subscales, particularly in the domains of social interaction and communication. The A-GARS-3 is a psychometrically sound instrument that offers reliable assessment for ASD within the Arab cultural context. The positive validation outcomes indicate that the scale is an effective, culturally adapted tool for the localized diagnosis of ASD. The validated scale has significant implications for enhancing ASD screening and diagnostic practices in Arabic-speaking regions, potentially improving early diagnosis and intervention strategies.

Increase in the incidence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and increased attention to symptoms of ASD in social media have contributed to a significant rise in referrals for neuropsychological assessment of possible ASD. Many practitioners lack specific training in the assessment of ASD and may avoid addressing these concerns, despite the frequency of those referrals. This paper reviews potential contributors to the rise in referrals and several related conditions which share some overlap with features of ASD. That is followed by descriptions of four school-aged children and adolescents referred for comprehensive evaluation of suspected ASD. The authors describe decision points in the diagnostic process for those with or without proficiency in ASD-specific testing and close with a series of recommendations for the assessment of clients with complex presentations referred for suspected ASD.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention and executive dysfunction, although there is not always agreement on the onset, course and long-term stability of the diagnosis. This study aims to detect differences in the cognitive profile according to the subtype of ADHD following a professional diagnosis and to propose an alternative classification. The scores obtained for each cognitive construct were compared using the Student's -test. In order to explore different diagnostic categories based on groupings made by Artificial Intelligence (AI) subjects were grouped based on their performance through the K-means clustering technique. The results obtained by Artificial Intelligence (AI) identified groups based on the severity of the cognitive profile and the presence of emotional impairment. Difficulties in perceived planning within family and school environments were highlighted as major risk factors in the severity of ADHD in children. Emotional disturbances perceived by both parents, such as depressive symptoms, anxiety, and somatization, were observed subsequently. In accordance with the results, an alternative way to classify ADHD is possible, involving categorization according to the presence or absence of emotional impairment, along with the severity of impairment in attentional and executive functions.

This retrospective study investigates the cognitive profiles of individuals with ADHD, categorized by the age at which they were diagnosed-either during childhood or adolescence. The sample comprised 424 participants aged 6 to 20 years, with a predominance of males. Participants were assessed using a variety of neuropsychological standardized tests. The study found significant differences in cognitive performance between those diagnosed in childhood and those diagnosed in adolescence. Specifically, childhood diagnoses were associated with poorer performance in vigilance, selective attention, and motor control, while adolescent diagnoses were linked to lower scores in the environment's perception of their flexibility, working memory, and planning. Binary logistic regression analyses indicated that the neuropsychological profile for the combined ADHD subtype did not vary by age group, in contrast with the inattentive subtype, in which different cognitive constructs were identified serving as significant predictors. Findings suggest that the cognitive challenges associated with ADHD evolve with development, highlighting the need for age-appropriate diagnostic criteria and interventions.

A systematic review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) procedure was used to evaluate the assumption that executive functions play a role in the relationship between theory of mind and language abilities in autism spectrum disorder. A total of 141 papers published in English between 2012 and 2023 were selected in databases, and of which 10 articles met inclusion criteria. Results showed that executive functions could be a predictor of theory of mind even when controlling for general language scores and age. However, results on syntactic language were not sufficient to completely validate the hypothesis that syntax could explain the relationship between theory of mind and executive functions in children with autism.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by repeated patterns of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention that limit daily functioning and development. Electroencephalography (EEG) anomalies correspond to changes in brain connection and activity. The authors propose utilizing empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and discrete wavelet transform (DWT) for feature extraction and machine learning (ML) algorithms to categorize ADHD and control subjects. For this study, the authors considered freely accessible ADHD data obtained from the IEEE data site. Studies have demonstrated a range of EEG anomalies in ADHD patients, such as variations in power spectra, coherence patterns, and event-related potentials (ERPs). Some of the studies claimed that the brain's prefrontal cortex and frontal regions collaborate in intricate networks, and disorders in either of them exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD. , Based on the research that claimed the brain's prefrontal cortex and frontal regions collaborate in intricate networks, and disorders in either of them exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD, the proposed study examines the optimal position of EEG electrode for identifying ADHD and in addition to monitoring accuracy on frontal/ prefrontal and other regions of brain our study also investigates the position groupings that have the highest effect on accurateness in identification of ADHD. The results demonstrate that the dataset classified with AdaBoost provided values for accuracy, precision, specificity, sensitivity, and F1-score as 1.00, 0.70, 0.70, 0.75, and 0.71, respectively, whereas using random forest (RF) it is 0.98, 0.64, 0.60, 0.81, and 0.71, respectively, in detecting ADHD. After detailed analysis, it is observed that the most accurate results included all electrodes. The authors believe the processes can detect various neurodevelopmental problems in children utilizing EEG signals.

This study investigates the effects of motor and cognitive dual tasks on walking and balance in Children with diparetic cerebral palsy. The subjects of this study were 12 children (experimental group n = 6, control group n = 6) who were medical diagnosed with diparetic cerebral palsy. They aged 8-12 years. Experimental group was administered treatment for 30 min, 2 times a week for 8 weeks, with the experimental group performing motor and cognitive dual task, while the control group did not have such a training. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to analyze changes in balance, gross motor function in the group, and the Mann-Whitney test was conducted to compare the differences between the two groups before and after intervention. In This study, the mean time for completing the Timed Up and Go Test in single and dual tasks and mean cognitive responses, there was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). Considering that many activities in daily life are dual tasks, these difficulties they experience in performing dual tasks show that children's daily lives are also affected. Therefore, dual task evaluations are very important for individuals to be independent in daily life.

This study aimed to examine LITMUS Turkish Sentence Repetition Test's (LITMUS-TR) diagnostic accuracy, as well as the best scoring method and most distinguishing test items. We also sought to ascertain whether age has an impact on the sensitivity and specificity.

The cochlear implant (CI) is crucial in developing hearing, speech, language, and communication skills in children with profound hearing loss (HL). The study aimed to assess how the age at which children receive a CI affects the development of pragmatic abilities between the ages of 5 and 8 for those who received a CI before or after the age of 3.

This study analyses Executive Functions (EF) and Creativity among neurodivergent students -including students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, Intellectual Disability (ID), Giftedness-, and a group with Neurotypical development. A sample of 181 secondary school students participated in the study. Creativity was assessed by using the PIC-J test, focusing on verbal and figural components of divergent thinking, while EF were evaluated through Nesplora Ice-Cream, a virtual reality tool assessing flexibility, working memory, and inhibition. Results showed statistically significant differences in Verbal Creativity, especially in Originality: students with ADHD outperformed their Neurotypical peers, while those with ID showed the lowest scores. Although no statistically significant differences emerged in Figural Creativity, students with ADHD showed the lowest scores in Elaboration or Figural details, whereas those with Dyslexia exhibited high levels of Figural Originality, similar to their Neurotypical peers. Concerning EF, students with ID had the highest scores in Interference and Perseveration, indicating poorer Flexibility. In contrast, Gifted students performed better than the other groups in Working Memory, while students with ADHD did not exhibit special difficulties in EF. These findings emphasize the importance of personalized interventions for Neurodivergent students, that recognize and capitalize on their unique strengths while addressing specific challenges.

Pediatric cancer treatments may contribute to slower processing, while cultural considerations (e.g., SES) can influence outcomes and tend to be disproportionately lower in racial/ethnic minorities. Given increased risk for certain cancers in Hispanic/Latine children and rising Spanish exposure in the United States, the purpose of this study was to examine differences in processing speed between cancer survivors based on household language exposure: English vs. mixed language (ML; i.e. monolingual Spanish-speaking or bilingual Spanish/English-speaking). 128 patients ages 8-21 with leukemia/lymphoma completed screening. As expected, SES was lower in patients from ML households based on parental education ( = 355.00, <.001) and estimated household income ( = 1031.500, <.001). Despite this, processing speed (assessed using the written and oral trials of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test; SDMT) was average (SDMT-W x̅=-.13, SDMT-O x̅=.32), with no significant differences between language groups ((2,120)=0.966=.384). Post-hoc analyses revealed time since diagnosis did not predict performance on oral trial for either group or the whole sample, while poorer performance on written trial was noted among the English-only group when further from diagnosis (SDMT-W F(1,57)=7.829, =.007). Stable ML group trajectory regardless of time since diagnosis may reflect resiliency among children with Spanish exposure.

Mental chronometry is the scientific study of cognitive processing speed measured by reaction time (RT), which is the elapsed time between the onset of a stimulus and an individual's response. This study aims at measuring the RT among young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and comparing it with normal (typically developing) children.

The aim was to explore and analyze of oral sensory-motor function characteristics and influencing factors in children with functional dysarthria and their typically developing peers. Sixty children with functional dysarthria (the age range was 4.0 to 5.9 years old, with an average age of (4.29 ± 0.92) years, and 60 children with normal physical examination (the age range was 4.0 to 5.6 years old, with an average age of (4.11 ± 0.88) years were recruited. The Oral Motor Assessment Scale was used to collect data. The results of this study show that the total oral sensory-motor function scores of normal children gradually increase with age. Oral sensory scores for each age group are all 1.00, with no age or gender differences, indicating that normal children's oral sensory functions have matured when they are four years old. Results indicate that there is a certain relationship between allergies and functional dysarthria. As shown, it can be concluded that allergy in children is an influencing factor in the onset of functional dysarthria.

Computerized neurocognitive testing is one component of a multidomain assessment of concussion. However, the use of computerized neurocognitive testing has been limited to patients aged 11 years and up, leaving clinicians with few options to evaluate younger children.

Executive functions (EFs) are a set of cognitive processes that enable individuals to manage and coordinate their thoughts and actions toward achieving specific goals. EFs include planning, organizing, initiating, and monitoring actions, and have been found to improve with age due to the maturation of the brain, especially during childhood. Therefore, our correlational study sought to determine the relationship between the performance in executive functions and age in 79 children (36 girls, 45.6%) throughout development, between the ages of 6 and 12 (mean = 9.25;  = 2.05), using a battery designed in Chile: BEFE (: Executive Function Assessment Battery) based on traditional neuropsychological tests to evaluate Working Memory, Inhibitory Control, Cognitive Flexibility, and Planning skills. Our results showed various correlations between the variables age and performance in various behavioral parameters, demonstrating an increase in the number of correct responses (positive correlation) and/or a decrease in errors (negative correlation) with age (6-12) in the subtests that correspond to dimensions of Cognitive Flexibility (Semantic and Phonological Fluency, Card Sorting Game, and Tracing Tasks), Inhibitory Control (ENA-F and Sentence Completion), Working Memory (Audio-verbal WM Forward and Ordering, and Visuospatial WM Forward and Backward), and Planning (La Portada de Antofagasta and FISA Maps). These results are consistent with previous empirical evidence and support the notion of a developmental relationship between EF performance and age. Additionally, this study contributes to understanding EF development in culturally specific contexts, highlighting the importance of contextually relevant assessment tools in evaluating cognitive development.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is a general neurodevelopmental syndrome. This affects both adults and children, causing issues like hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. Diagnosis, typically reliant on patient narratives and questionnaires, can sometimes be inaccurate, leading to distress. We propose utilizing empirical mode decomposition (EMD) for feature extraction and a machine learning (ML) algorithm to categorize ADHD and control.

Graphophonological-semantic flexibility is the cognitive flexibility in reading that enables individuals to manage multiple phonological and semantic aspects of text simultaneously. This study investigated graphophonological-semantic flexibility and its contribution to reading comprehension in children with dyslexia, comparing them to age-matched, typically developing peers. Thirty children aged 8-11 were assessed using a reading-specific sorting task, where they categorized word cards by initial phoneme and meaning within a 2x2 matrix. After sorting, participants explained their arrangements, and their sorting speed, accuracy, and composite scores were evaluated. Additionally, reading comprehension was assessed through passages followed by questions. Results revealed significant differences between children with dyslexia and their peers in sorting accuracy and composite scores. Children with dyslexia exhibited poorer accuracy and longer sorting times, leading to lower composite scores indicative of reduced graphophonological-semantic flexibility. Age showed a positive correlation with sorting accuracy and composite scores. Moreover, sorting accuracy and composite scores were strong predictors of reading comprehension. These findings suggest that children with dyslexia face challenges in managing both phonological and semantic aspects of text concurrently, highlighting the importance of graphophonological-semantic flexibility in reading development.

The Children's Color Trail Test (CCTT) is considered a culture fair equivalent of the Trail Making Test for the assessment of cognitive flexibility in pediatric populations, while others emphasize its additional validity as a measure of attention, perceptual tracking, processing speed, susceptibility to interference and inhibition. The need for standardized neuropsychological tests in Greece, especially for the pediatric population is significant. In the present study, considering the relatively good psychometric properties of the CCTT and its wide cross-cultural application, we decided that such a tool would be useful to Greek clinicians and researchers, and therefore developed norms for the Greek child and adolescent population. Additionally, we examined the clinical validity of the test, administering it to two groups of patients (children with Traumatic Brain Injury and Attention Deficit - Hyperactivity Disorder). We administered the test to 417 native healthy Greek children 6-15 years, recruited primarily from Southwestern Greece from several public schools. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant influence of age on completion time in both parts of the CCTT, whereas sex did not influence time to completion. Older children consistently completed the test faster than younger children, whereas girls and boys performed similarly on both conditions. In addition, CCTT differentiated the performance of children who have had a TBI and those diagnosed with ADHD from the performances of their typically developing peers. This study provides much needed performance and clinical utility data for the pediatric population in Greece on a promising neuropsychological tool for use in clinical and research settings.

The present study was designed to assess the neuropsychological test performances of non-concussed female and male high school athletes of different ages in high and low contact sports.

This study aims to investigate the association between developmental language disorder (DLD) and depressive symptoms in preschool-aged children, building upon previous research that has demonstrated emotional difficulties in children with DLD. Forty-one children with DLD or children at risk for DLD (DLD group) and 41 children with typical language development (TLD) were included in this study. Language development was evaluated using the TEDIL test which is a Turkish adaptation of the Test of Early Language Development-3. Auto acoustic Emissions Testing and Immittance-Metric Assessment were used to exclude children with hearing impairment. Developmental delays were excluded by Denver Developmental Screening Test II. Mothers filled out the Sociodemographic Data Form and the Child Depressive Symptoms Assessment Scale. The results demonstrate that children in DLD group scored significantly higher on the Child Depressive Symptoms Assessment Scale, manifesting increased levels of aggression, separation anxiety, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and encountering greater social adaptation difficulties and deterioration in cognitive processes than TLD. Multivariate regression analysis suggests that increased impulsivity and hyperactivity, alongside social and cognitive challenges, are predictors of DLD. The study concludes that depressive symptoms are more prevalent in children in DLD group than in their typically developing counterparts. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted psychiatric and pedagogical interventions, as well as individualized educational programs that cater to the socio-emotional and cognitive needs of children with DLD.

This single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) study was planned to examine the effect of the Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) intervention on occupational performance and executive functions through daily routines children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Using a simple random method, the children were divided into two groups: n = 15 in the CO-OP group (4 girls, 11 boys) and n = 15 in the control group (3 girls, 12 boys). CO-OP intervention included 12 sessions (2 sessions per week, each lasting 1 hour, 6 weeks in total) focusing on teaching cognitive strategies to improve daily living activities. These sessions involved personalized goal setting, performance analysis, and the application of cognitive strategies to enhance executive function and occupational performance in children with ADHD. The data were collected by assessing the children with the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, Goal Attainment Scaling, and Executive Functions and Occupational Routines Scale at the beginning and end of the study. When comparing the pre- and post-evaluations of the CO-OP group, statistically significant improvements were noted in occupational performance and satisfaction ( < 0.001), occupational performance goals ( < 0.001), and executive functions through daily routines ( < 0.05). Test results for differences in posttest scores between the two groups showed that the CO-OP group had significantly better activity performance and satisfaction ( < 0.001), as well as gains in social routines for executive skills ( < 0.05), compared to the control group. The findings suggest that the CO-OP approach represents a promising and effective method for facilitating skill acquisition in various activities among children diagnosed with ADHD. Trial registration: This research was registered to clinical trials with the code NCT05125120.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent disorders in children that is considered to affect early stages of information processes. Inefficient processing of temporal information, which is a vital auditory processing skill suggests itself as a potential candidate for investigating ADHD deficits. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC), a neuroscience-based research framework, has been introduced to study mental illness without relying on pre-established diagnostic categories. In this regard, Mismatch Negativity (MMN) has been considered an ideal electrophysiological marker for investigating ADHD deficits. This study investigates alterations in the amplitude and latency of the MMN component in response to changes in the duration and Inter-Stimulus Interval (ISI) of basic sound stimuli within an oddball task. The MMN paradigm was employed to examine duration deviations in ADHD ( = 25, 84% male, mean age: 7.3 years, SD = 2.01) compared to Control group of typically developing (TD) children ( = 25, 72% male, mean age: 7.2 years, SD = 1.92). Participants with ADHD were introduced from an accredited psychiatrist. TD children were recruited from social media and online forms. Both groups were matched in terms of gender, age and IQ. The psychological tests conducted in this study included Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS), Gilliam Autism Rating Scale|Third Edition (Gars3), Sensory profile questionnaire and Edinburgh Handedness inventory. Our findings revealed reduced MMN amplitudes in response to two blocks of duration and ISI-based deviations in ADHD children. To elaborate in greater detail, at Fz, in Duration and ISI block, respectively, the ADHD group showed an amplitude of -1.2097 ± 0.2938 and -0.8553 ± 0.4423, while the normal group showed an amplitude of -1.8325 ± 0.3689 and -2.0855 ± 0.3802. Additionally, at Cz, the ADHD group exhibited a shorter amplitude (-1.2515 ± 0.3261 and -0.9367 ± 0.3432) compared to the normal group (-2.1319 ± 0.4445 and -2.7561 ± 0.4883), in the duration and ISI blocks, respectively. Furthermore, children with ADHD display longer MMN latencies in both experimental blocks, suggesting atypical responses. To provide more detail, at Fz, the ADHD group displayed MMN latencies of 239.68 ± 5.059 and 226.88 ± 4.885 in the Duration and ISI blocks, respectively, whereas the normal group showed MMN latencies of 228.56 ± 6.584 and 213.56 ± 4.153. Similarly, at Cz, the ADHD group exhibited longer MMN latencies (234.40 ± 5.741 and 231.44 ± 5.464) compared to the normal group (227.52 ± 6.710 and 218.00 ± 5.261) in the Duration and ISI blocks, respectively. Our findings were interpreted in the context of the internal clock model, which involves the pace of an internal pacemaker regulated by dopamine (DA) levels. The convergence of MMN and auditory timing abnormalities within the RDoC framework suggests their potential as endophenotypes for ADHD, highlighting the significance of sensory processing in understanding the disorder.