A trajetória do controlo inibitório e flexibilidade cognitiva em crianças de 5 e 6 anos e a sua relação com comportamentos hiperativos

Abstract

Introduction: The developmental trajectory of executive functions in the Portuguese preschool population is still under study, particularly in children with hyperactive behaviors. The scientific interest lies in characterizing the relationship between regulatory deficit behaviors and the development of cognitive functions such as inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. Methodology: A total of 67 children with ages between 5 and 6 years old (M=5.62; SD=0.33) were recruited, with 22 children exhibiting reported hyperactive behaviors and 45 children with no hyperactive behavior indicators. All children performed Go/No-Go and Card Sorting tasks from the Early Years Toolbox, with a 7-month interval, following the standard assessment procedure for inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility in the preschool population. Hyperactivity indicators were obtained through the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, based on parents' perceptions. Results: The performance of the group of children displaying hyperactive behaviors in inhibitory control tasks was lower than that of their peers, both at the beginning and end of the school year. In cognitive flexibility tasks, the average score of children with hyperactive behaviors was significantly lower than that of children without hyperactivity indicators. Hyperactive behaviors were negatively correlated with performance in both cognitive functions. No statistically significant differences were observed in the progression rate of each group's performance in these two functions between the beginning and end of the school year. Conclusion: This study finds support in the literature by confirming the progression of inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility during the preschool period, with children displaying hyperactive behaviors showing significantly lower performance in these functions. This study represents a preliminary effort to characterize the development of these functions in the Portuguese preschool population with hyperactive behavior indicators, using a standard procedure for evaluating these functions in this age group. Considering the potential applicability of the Go/No-Go and Card Sorting tasks in clinical and research settings, future investigations are necessary to verify the consistency of these findings for national standardization.

Date of Award	8 Nov 2024
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Joana Rodrigues Rato (Supervisor)