Date of Award
August 2022
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Bonita P. Klein-Tasman
Committee Members
W. Hobart Davies, Kristin D. Smith, David C. Osmon, Robyn C. Ridley
Abstract
Learning problems are commonly reported for children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1); however, there are no known studies examining early school age predictors of late school age academic functioning in children with NF1. Based on the review of the literature of predictors of academic functioning for typically developing children and pre-academic/academic functioning in children with NF1, pre-academic and neuropsychological predictors (intellectual functioning, attention, executive functioning, visual spatial, oral language) were examined in relation to late school age academic performance in children with NF1. Concurrent intellectual functioning, performance-based attention, performance-based working memory, oral language and visual spatial abilities were associated with late school age reading and/or math abilities. Phonological processing and foundational number knowledge at early school age were associated with late school age reading-related and math abilities, respectively. Intellectual functioning, performance-based attention, performance-based working memory, oral language abilities and visual spatial abilities at early school age were associated with reading-related and/or math abilities at late school age. Hierarchical multiple regressions were also assessed and suggested that domain specific abilities may be particularly important for reading while domain general abilities may be particularly important for math abilities in children with NF1. Canonical correlations also identified similar patterns for the relation between pre-academic/neuropsychological variables as when relations were studied individually. Overall, the study findings suggest the importance of assessing pre-academic and neuropsychological variables in young children with NF1 to identify who may be at greater risk for later academic problems.
Recommended Citation
Lee, Kristin, "Academic Abilities of Late School Age Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: a Replication Study and Examination of Early School Age Cognitive Predictors" (2022). Theses and Dissertations. 3031.
https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/3031