Work

Evaluating working memory outcome measures for children with Down syndrome

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is a critical need for the psychometric evaluation of outcome measures to be used in clinical trials targeting cognition in Down syndrome (DS). This study examines a specific cognitive skill that is of particular importance in DS, working memory, and the psychometric properties of a set of standardised measurements to assess working memory in individuals with DS. METHODS: Ninety children and adolescents ages 6 to 18 years old with DS were assessed on a selection of verbal and visuospatial working memory subtests of standardised clinical assessments at two time points to examine feasibility, distributional qualities, test-retest reliability and convergent validity against a priori criteria. Caregivers also completed an adaptive behaviour questionnaire to address working memory subtests' associations with broader developmental functioning. RESULTS: The Stanford Binet-5 Verbal Working Memory, Differential Ability Scales-2 Recognition of Pictures, Stanford Binet-5 Nonverbal Working Memory and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-5 Picture Span measures met the most psychometric criteria overall across the full age and IQ range of the study. Although Differential Ability Scales-2 Recall of Sequential Order and Differential Ability Scales-2 Recall of Digits Backward met the fewest a priori criteria, follow-up analyses suggested greater feasibility in specific age and IQ ranges. CONCLUSIONS: Several working memory measures appear to be psychometrically sound and appropriate for use in clinical trials for children with DS, especially when focusing on raw scores. However, floor effects on standard scores and feasibility of some measures were problematic. Guidelines for use of the working memory subtests with this population are provided.

Source: Journal of Intellectual Disability Research

DOI: 10.1111/jir.12833

Authors: E. K. Schworer, A. J. Esbensen, D. J. Fidler, D. W. Beebe, A. Carle, S. Wiley

Institutions: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Colorado State University

Language: English

Topic: Down syndrome and intellectual disability research

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development