The relationship of neuropsychological functioning to adaptation outcome in adolescents with spina bifida. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2008 Sep;14(5):793-804
Date
09/04/2008Pubmed ID
18764974DOI
10.1017/S1355617708081022Scopus ID
2-s2.0-51349085145 31 CitationsAbstract
Adolescents with spina bifida (SB) vary in their ability to adapt to the disease, and it is likely that numerous risk and protective factors affect adaptation outcomes. The primary aim was to test neuropsychological impairment, exemplified herein by executive dysfunction, as a risk factor in the Ecological Model of Adaptation for Adolescents with SB. Specific hypotheses were that: (1) executive functioning predicts the adaptation outcome of functional independence in adolescents with SB; (2) executive functioning mediates the impact of neurological severity on functional independence; and (3) family and adolescent protective factors are related to functional independence and moderate the relationship between executive functioning and functional independence. Forty-three adolescents aged 12-21 years completed neuropsychological measures and an interview that assessed risk, adolescent and family protective factors, and functional independence. Age, level of lesion, executive functioning, and the protective factor adolescent activities were significantly correlated with the functional independence outcome. In hierarchical regression analysis, the model accounted for 61% of the variance in functional independence outcomes. Executive functioning mediated the impact of neurological severity on functional independence.
Author List
Heffelfinger AK, Koop JI, Fastenau PS, Brei TJ, Conant L, Katzenstein J, Cashin SE, Sawin KJAuthors
Lisa L. Conant PhD Associate Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of WisconsinAmy Heffelfinger PhD Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Jennifer I. Koop Olsta PhD Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Adaptation, PsychologicalAdolescent
Attention
Cognition
Female
Humans
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Problem Solving
Risk Factors
Severity of Illness Index
Spinal Dysraphism
Young Adult
