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Discrepancies among Measures of Executive Functioning in a Subsample of Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Brain Tumor: Associations with Treatment Intensity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2016

Mark D. McCurdy ,
Elise M. Turner ,
Lamia P. Barakat ,
Wendy L. Hobbie ,
Janet A. Deatrick ,
Iris Paltin ,
Michael J. Fisher  and
Matthew C. Hocking
Mark D. McCurdy
Affiliation:
Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Elise M. Turner
Affiliation:
Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Lamia P. Barakat
Affiliation:
Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Wendy L. Hobbie
Affiliation:
Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Janet A. Deatrick
Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Iris Paltin
Affiliation:
Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Michael J. Fisher
Affiliation:
Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Matthew C. Hocking*
Affiliation:
Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Matthew C. Hocking, Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3501 Civic Center Blvd., 10211 CTRB, Philadelphia, PA 19104. E-mail: hockingm@email.chop.edu
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Abstract

Objectives: Treatments for childhood brain tumors (BT) confer substantial risks to neurological development and contribute to neuropsychological deficits in young adulthood. Evidence suggests that individuals who experience more significant neurological insult may lack insight into their neurocognitive limitations. The present study compared survivor, mother, and performance-based estimates of executive functioning (EF), and their associations with treatment intensity history in a subsample of young adult survivors of childhood BTs. Methods: Thirty-four survivors (52.9% female), aged 18 to 30 years (M=23.5; SD=3.4), 16.1 years post-diagnosis (SD=5.9), were administered self-report and performance-based EF measures. Mothers also rated survivor EF skills. Survivors were classified by treatment intensity history into Minimal, Average/Moderate, or Intensive/Most-Intensive groups. Discrepancies among survivor, mother, and performance-based EF estimates were compared. Results: Survivor-reported and performance-based measures were not correlated, although significant associations were found between mother-reported and performance measures. Survivors in the Intensive/Most-Intensive treatment group evidenced the greatest score discrepancies, reporting less executive dysfunction relative to mother-reported F(2,31)=7.81, p<.01, and performance-based measures F(14,50)=2.54, p<.05. Conversely, survivors in the Minimal treatment group reported greater EF difficulties relative to mothers t(8)=2.82, p<.05, but not performance-based estimates (ps>.05). Conclusions: There may be a lack of agreement among survivor, mother, and performance-based estimates of EF skills in young adult survivors of childhood BT, and these discrepancies may be associated with treatment intensity history. Neuropsychologists should use a multi-method, multi-reporter approach to assessment of EF in this population. Providers also should be aware of these discrepancies as they may be a barrier to intervention efforts. (JINS, 2016, 22, 900–910)

Keywords

Late-effectsPediatricCancerAnosognosiaImpaired insightAwareness
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 22 , Issue 9 , October 2016 , pp. 900 - 910
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2016 

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