Abstract
Purpose: Academic underachievement is common in pediatric epilepsy. Attempts to identify seizure and psychosocial risk factors for underachievement have yielded inconsistent findings, raising the possibility that seizure and psychosocial variables play a complex role in combination with other variables such as neuropsychological functioning. This study cross-validated a neuropsychological measurement model for childhood epilepsy, examined the relation between neuropsychological functioning and academic achievement, and tested the degree to which demographic, seizure, and psychosocial variables moderate that relation. Methods: Children with chronic epilepsy (N = 173; ages 8 to 15 years; 49% girls; 91% white/non-Hispanic; 79% one seizure type; 79% taking one medication; 69% with active seizures) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Children diagnosed with mental retardation were excluded. Results: Structural equation modeling identified a three-factor measurement model of neuropsychological function: Verbal/Memory/Executive (VME), Rapid Naming/Working Memory (RNAVM), and Psychomotor (PM). VME and RNAVM were strongly related to reading, math, and writing; PM predicted writing only. Family environment moderated the impact of neuropsychological deficits on writing (p ≤ 0.01) and possibly for reading (p = 0.05); neuropsychological deficits had a smaller impact on achievement for children in supportive/organized homes compared with children in unsupportive/disorganized homes. Conclusions: These findings lend partial support for our theoretical model showing direct effects of neuropsychological function on achievement and the moderating role of family factors. This study suggests that a subgroup of children with epilepsy (those who have not only neuropsychological deficits but also disorganized/unsupportive home environments) are particularly at risk for adverse academic outcomes. Implications for intervention are discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1261-1272 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Epilepsia |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 2004 |
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Keywords
- Academic achievement
- Children
- Cognition
- Epilepsy
- Family
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
Neuropsychological predictors of academic underachievement in pediatric epilepsy : Moderating roles of demographic, seizure, and psychosocial variables. / Fastenau, Philip S.; Shen, Jianzhao; Dunn, David; Perkins, Susan; Hermann, Bruce P.; Austin, Joan K.
In: Epilepsia, Vol. 45, No. 10, 10.2004, p. 1261-1272.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Neuropsychological predictors of academic underachievement in pediatric epilepsy
T2 - Moderating roles of demographic, seizure, and psychosocial variables
AU - Fastenau, Philip S.
AU - Shen, Jianzhao
AU - Dunn, David
AU - Perkins, Susan
AU - Hermann, Bruce P.
AU - Austin, Joan K.
PY - 2004/10
Y1 - 2004/10
N2 - Purpose: Academic underachievement is common in pediatric epilepsy. Attempts to identify seizure and psychosocial risk factors for underachievement have yielded inconsistent findings, raising the possibility that seizure and psychosocial variables play a complex role in combination with other variables such as neuropsychological functioning. This study cross-validated a neuropsychological measurement model for childhood epilepsy, examined the relation between neuropsychological functioning and academic achievement, and tested the degree to which demographic, seizure, and psychosocial variables moderate that relation. Methods: Children with chronic epilepsy (N = 173; ages 8 to 15 years; 49% girls; 91% white/non-Hispanic; 79% one seizure type; 79% taking one medication; 69% with active seizures) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Children diagnosed with mental retardation were excluded. Results: Structural equation modeling identified a three-factor measurement model of neuropsychological function: Verbal/Memory/Executive (VME), Rapid Naming/Working Memory (RNAVM), and Psychomotor (PM). VME and RNAVM were strongly related to reading, math, and writing; PM predicted writing only. Family environment moderated the impact of neuropsychological deficits on writing (p ≤ 0.01) and possibly for reading (p = 0.05); neuropsychological deficits had a smaller impact on achievement for children in supportive/organized homes compared with children in unsupportive/disorganized homes. Conclusions: These findings lend partial support for our theoretical model showing direct effects of neuropsychological function on achievement and the moderating role of family factors. This study suggests that a subgroup of children with epilepsy (those who have not only neuropsychological deficits but also disorganized/unsupportive home environments) are particularly at risk for adverse academic outcomes. Implications for intervention are discussed.
AB - Purpose: Academic underachievement is common in pediatric epilepsy. Attempts to identify seizure and psychosocial risk factors for underachievement have yielded inconsistent findings, raising the possibility that seizure and psychosocial variables play a complex role in combination with other variables such as neuropsychological functioning. This study cross-validated a neuropsychological measurement model for childhood epilepsy, examined the relation between neuropsychological functioning and academic achievement, and tested the degree to which demographic, seizure, and psychosocial variables moderate that relation. Methods: Children with chronic epilepsy (N = 173; ages 8 to 15 years; 49% girls; 91% white/non-Hispanic; 79% one seizure type; 79% taking one medication; 69% with active seizures) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Children diagnosed with mental retardation were excluded. Results: Structural equation modeling identified a three-factor measurement model of neuropsychological function: Verbal/Memory/Executive (VME), Rapid Naming/Working Memory (RNAVM), and Psychomotor (PM). VME and RNAVM were strongly related to reading, math, and writing; PM predicted writing only. Family environment moderated the impact of neuropsychological deficits on writing (p ≤ 0.01) and possibly for reading (p = 0.05); neuropsychological deficits had a smaller impact on achievement for children in supportive/organized homes compared with children in unsupportive/disorganized homes. Conclusions: These findings lend partial support for our theoretical model showing direct effects of neuropsychological function on achievement and the moderating role of family factors. This study suggests that a subgroup of children with epilepsy (those who have not only neuropsychological deficits but also disorganized/unsupportive home environments) are particularly at risk for adverse academic outcomes. Implications for intervention are discussed.
KW - Academic achievement
KW - Children
KW - Cognition
KW - Epilepsy
KW - Family
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=5344245488&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=5344245488&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2004.15204.x
DO - 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2004.15204.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 15461681
AN - SCOPUS:5344245488
VL - 45
SP - 1261
EP - 1272
JO - Epilepsia
JF - Epilepsia
SN - 0013-9580
IS - 10
ER -