Neurocognitive functioning of children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities and psychiatric disorders: profile characteristics and predictors of behavioural problems.
E Santegoeds, E van der Schoot, S Roording-Ragetlie and 2 others
PMID 34378826WHAT IT FOUND
Children with mild intellectual disabilities and psychiatric disorders showed major weaknesses in processing speed and working memory.
However, these cognitive deficits did not predict behavioural problems. Verbalising during tasks and better visual-spatial skills were linked to internalising symptoms, while no consistent pattern emerged for externalising behaviours.
Key findings
01Children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities and psychiatric disorders showed prominent weaknesses in processing speed and working memory compared to normative data.
02Deficits in processing speed and working memory were not clearly predictive of internalising or externalising behavioural problems.
03Higher tendency to verbalise during tasks and better visual-spatial abilities were associated with higher parent-rated and teacher-rated internalising symptoms.
STILL TO COME
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (45 children), which limits the generalisability of the findings. Children taking psychoactive medication that required a gradual build-up phase were excluded, potentially biasing the sample against those with the most severe behavioural problems. The study was exploratory, and the lack of association between cognitive deficits and behavioural problems may be due to the specific measures used rather than a true absence of relationship. Only two children were excluded for learning disorders or specific language impairments, but the rationale for this exclusion was unclear.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by a non-U.S. government grant.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that cognitive deficits in processing speed and working memory are the primary drivers of behavioural problems in this population. The study found no consistent link between these deficits and internalising or externalising symptoms, suggesting environmental or other factors may be more relevant.