Developmental trajectories of attentional control in preschool males with fragile X syndrome.
In preschool boys with fragile X, stopping-skills improve year-by-year even when parents still mark high attention problems.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Ohan et al. (2015) followed a small group of preschool boys with fragile X syndrome. They tracked two things each year: how well the boys could stop themselves from grabbing or touching, and how parents rated everyday attention problems.
The team used simple stop-and-wait games to measure inhibitory control. Parents filled out the same attention checklist every visit.
What they found
The boys got better at the stop-and-wait games as they grew older. Their scores on the games slowly moved toward typical levels.
Parent ratings of attention problems stayed flat. The grown-ups saw no change even while the boys’ game scores improved.
How this fits with other research
Boudreau et al. (2015) looked at older kids with fragile X and also saw attention problems ease with age. Their study adds the teen years, so the picture now runs from preschool through high school.
Casey et al. (2009) tracked girls with fragile X and found similar slow gains. Putting the two studies side-by-side shows the same gentle upward slope for both sexes.
Olsson et al. (2001) warned that boys who also show autistic traits move more slowly. L et al. agree: the overall group improved, but kids with extra autism features likely lag behind the average.
Why it matters
When you assess a child with fragile X, test inhibitory control with hands-on tasks and also ask parents about daily attention. Skills can grow even when home ratings stay stuck. Use this pair of data points to set realistic goals and to show families that small game-score gains are real progress even if classroom behavior looks the same.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Attention problems are among the most impairing features associated with fragile X syndrome (FXS). However, few studies have examined behavioral development of inhibitory control in very young children with FXS. We examined attentional control in 3-6 year boys with FXS using both an experimental inhibitory control paradigm and parent-report of attention problems. Study 1 examined attentional control in FXS compared to comparison groups matched on chronological and mental age. To determine the stability of impairments over time in FXS, Study 2 examined patterns of developmental change in an expanded longitudinal sample. Across studies, males with FXS demonstrated persistent impairments in inhibitory control and parent-reported attention problems. Inhibitory control was related to, but not solely driven by, lower mental age. Although parent-rated attention problems remained stable across ages, inhibitory control improved with time. Children with more severe attention problems often displayed initially poorer inhibitory control. However, these trajectories also improved more rapidly with age. Our findings indicate that despite persistent deficits in attentional control in young children with FXS, multi-method assessment can be used to capture developmental growth that should be further supported through early, targeted intervention.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2015 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.09.015