Assessment of cognitive-linguistics abilities, metalinguistics and reading in children with Bipolar Disorder

Author(s)

Carolina Roganti Leite Moreira

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina (FM/SBD)
• Defense date: 2013-09-24

Examining board members

Sheila Cavalcante Caetano; Fraulein Vidigal de Paula; Guilherme Vanoni Polanczyk

• Advisor: Sheila Cavalcante Caetano

Abstract

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is characterized by affect, behavior and cognition disturbances. Learning how to read is a complex cognitive process that requires the utilization of phonological, syntactic and semantic components of the language, and as a consequence it requires also the of use the metalinguistic ability of reflection of the verbal language on the written language. Objective: To evaluate the cognitive-linguistic processes related to the reading and writing, the matalinguistic skills and the reading in BD children, compared to healthy controls. Hypotheses: BD children, when compared to healthy controls, would present a worse performance in cognitive-linguistic and metalinguistic skills, according to the Assessment Protocol of Cognitive-Linguistic Abilities, and a worse performance in reading comprehension according to the Assessment Protocol of Reading Comprehension. Method: Twenty (20) children were selected fulfilling the following criteria: age between 6 years and 11 years and 11 months and BD diagnostic criteria, according to DSM-IV; and fifteen (15) healthy controls children, aged between 6 years and 11 years and 11 months and absence of any Axis I DSM-IV psychiatric disorders. All participants should be literate and present an IQ>70. We utilized the following protocols: the Assessment Protocol of Cognitive-Linguistic Abilities (APCLA) and the Assessment Protocol of Reading Comprehension (APRC). In statistical analysis, we adopted the p < 0,05 to test the hypotheses. In order to compare the groups we used t tests or Mann-Whitney non-parametric tests for the numerical variables and chi-square tests for the categorized variables. Results: According to the APCLA, BD children, when compared to healthy controls, presented a worse performance in: visual processing and processing speed (p = 0,02), logic-mathematical thinking (p = 0,006), metalinguistic skills (p = 0,005) and reading and writing (p = 0,03). According the APRC, BD children did not show interest and concentration (p = 0,05) and did not make hypotheses and knowledge antecipation before reading (p = 0,04). During silent reading, BD children presented a worse performance in postural pattern (p = 0,002) and in vision and ocular musculature (p = 0,005). During oral reading, BD children presented a worse performance in postural pattern (p = 0,001), reading fluency (p = 0,004), textual punctuation respecting (p = 0,006), vision and ocular musculature (p < 0,001) and reading characteristics (p = 0,003). After reading, BD children presented a worse performance in identifying the central ideas that unify and give an overall meaning to the text (p < 0,001), determining a thematic continuity among the ideas (p = 0,001) and identifying the organization form of the text information (p < 0,001) when compared to healthy controls. Conclusion: BD children present significant deficits in cognitive-linguistic, metalinguistic and reading abilities that may prejudice their learning process (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/14708-7 - Assessment of cognitive-linguistics abilities, metalinguistics and reading in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder
• Grantee: Carolina Roganti Leite Moreira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master