Igliozzi Roberta, Cagiano Romina, Berni Marta, Pecini Chiara, Viglione Valentina, Masi Gabriele, Muratori Filippo, Calderoni Sara, Tancredi Rafaella
IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy.
University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Clin Neuropsychiatry. 2024 Dec;21(6):509-523. doi: 10.36131/cnfioritieditore20240604.
To describe the relationship between executive functions (EF) and symptom's severity, behavioral problems, and adaptive functioning in autistic preschoolers.
Seventy-six autistic preschoolers (age-range: 37-72 months; SD: 8.67 months) without intellectual disability were assessed. Executive functions were measured by both performance-based (Battery for Assessment of Executive Functions -BAFE-) and indirect measures (Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool Version -BRIEF-P); adaptive skills were assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Second Edition (VABS-II); ASD severity was evaluated through the ADOS-2 and the SCQ; the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL ½-5) questionnaire was used to describe the emotional/behavioral profile.
A considerable rate of autistic preschoolers showed weaknesses in one or more measures of EF, in particular in inhibition and working memory at both performance-based and parent report measures. EF measures explained a significant proportion of variance in the emotional/behavioral profile, and in the adaptive skills, particularly in the socialization domain. Specifically, the most relevant EF predictors are Inhibition, Emotional Control and Cognitive Flexibility subscales of the BRIEF-P.
Assessment of EF in autistic preschoolers may identify those children at higher risk for emotional/behavioral problems and adaptive difficulties. EF are a crucial target for early intervention in preschoolers with autism with the potential to improve child outcomes.
描述自闭症学龄前儿童的执行功能（EF）与症状严重程度、行为问题及适应性功能之间的关系。
对76名无智力障碍的自闭症学龄前儿童（年龄范围：37 - 72个月；标准差：8.67个月）进行评估。执行功能通过基于表现的测试（执行功能评估量表 - BAFE -）和间接测量（执行功能行为评定量表 - 学龄前版 - BRIEF - P）进行测量；使用文兰适应行为量表第二版（VABS - II）评估适应技能；通过自闭症诊断观察量表第二版（ADOS - 2）和社交沟通问卷（SCQ）评估自闭症严重程度；使用儿童行为检查表（CBCL ½ - 5）问卷描述情绪/行为特征。
相当比例的自闭症学龄前儿童在一项或多项执行功能测量中表现出弱点，特别是在基于表现的测试和家长报告测量中的抑制和工作记忆方面。执行功能测量解释了情绪/行为特征以及适应技能中很大一部分的变异，尤其是在社交领域。具体而言，最相关的执行功能预测指标是BRIEF - P的抑制、情绪控制和认知灵活性子量表。
对自闭症学龄前儿童的执行功能进行评估可能会识别出那些有更高情绪/行为问题和适应困难风险的儿童。执行功能是自闭症学龄前儿童早期干预的关键目标，有可能改善儿童的预后。
