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Cited by 25Developmental and Educational NeuropsychologyChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Measurement of executive functioning with the National Institute of Health Toolbox and the association to anxiety/depressive symptomatology in childhood/adolescence

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Kavanaugh, Brian C., Cancilliere, Mary Kathryn, Fryc, Alexa, Tirrell, Eric, Oliveira, Jane, Oberman, Lindsay M., Wexler, Bruce E., Carpenter, Linda L. +1 more·2020·Child Neuropsychology
DOI 10.1080/09297049.2019.1708295PMC PMC10629577
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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Despite preliminary research, there remain inconsistent findings with regard to the role of executive functioning (EF) deficits in childhood anxiety and depression. This report examined the association of The National Institute of Health (NIH) Toolbox to clinical neuropsychological measures and to childhood, anxiety/depressive symptomatology. Methods: One-hundred eight children and adolescents completed the three EF measures from the NIH Toolbox (List Sorting Working Memory Test [LSWMT], Dimensional Change Card Sorting Test [DCCST], and Flanker Test of Attention and Inhibition [Flanker]) in an outpatient neuropsychology program. These tests were compared to established measures of EF in terms of linear correlations and detection of impairment. Heaton's Global Deficit Score (GDS) was utilized to calculate impairment. The Toolbox-EF measures were paired with parent-reported EF symptoms (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function [BRIEF2]) to identify the role of EF in childhood anxiety/depressive symptomatology. RESULTS: Toolbox-EF measures displayed medium sized correlations with their clinically comparable counterparts, and generally did not differ in their detection of impairment. Toolbox-GDS was associated with depression diagnosis and clinically significant child-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms. Together, Toolbox/BRIEF2 accounted for 26.8-30.9% of elevated depressive symptom variance, but only 13.2-14% of elevated anxiety symptom variance. Further, EF impairment was associated with depression across self report, parent report, and clinical diagnosis. DISCUSSION: The NIH Toolbox-EF measures display comparable psychometric properties to clinically available EF measures in a pediatric (primarily psychiatric) neuropsychology setting. The Toolbox appears to display an appropriate ability to detect EF deficits secondary to self-reported depression in childhood.

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Cited by

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Authors
Kavanaugh, B. C., Cancilliere, M. K., Fryc, A., Tirrell, E., Oliveira, J., Oberman, L. M., Wexler, B. E., Carpenter, L. L., & Spirito, A.
Affiliations
  • Brown University (US)
  • University of Rhode Island (US)
  • Henry M. Jackson Foundation (US)
  • Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
Kavanaugh, Brian C.
ORCID
Venue
Child Neuropsychology
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2019-12-26
Volume
26
Issue
6
Pages
754-769
ISSN
  • 0929-7049 (ISSN-L)
  • 1744-4136
DOI
10.1080/09297049.2019.1708295
PMC
PMC10629577
OpenAlex
W2997436909
Cited by
25
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 2
FWCI
3.37
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Child Neuropsychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Rhode Island Foundation (20174332)
  • APA Division 40 (na)
  • Thrasher Research Fund (14511)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
executive function, NIH Toolbox, childhood anxiety, childhood depression, depressive symptoms, working memory, inhibition, attention, neuropsychological assessment, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, psychometric properties, children and adolescents
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Anxiety, Child, Child, Preschool, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.), Neuropsychological Tests, United States, Executive Function

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