Early Temperamental Persistence and Associations with Later Executive Functioning

Background:   ASD is a markedly heterogeneous disorder and Bundson and Happe (2014) suggest that specific phenotypic variants that are relevant to later outcomes can be derived at the cognitive level.  Executive functioning (EF) is also diverse in ASD, but typically not measured until later ages. In fact, recent research (Rosenthal et al., 2013) suggests that real-world impairments of executive function increases from childhood to adolescence, with particular impairments in the domains of initiation, working memory and shifting. Identifying precursors to EF dysfunction holds important implications for intervening early and may provide opportunities to limit the increasing discrepancies seen in adolescence. A potential precursor of EF that can be measured in early childhood is persistence, or the temperamental tendency to maintain goal-directed behavior in the face of obstacles.  Persistence in early childhood has been associated with both attention and school functioning (Guerin et al., 1994) in typically-developing children; however, little is known about its relevance in children with ASD.    

Objectives: To examine if parent report of child’s persistence in early childhood is associated with executive function skills and gains in adaptive skills in middle childhood. 

Methods: Prior to age 7, 90 parents of children with ASD completed the Carey Temperament Scale (CTS; McDevitt & Carey, 1984), which includes a Persistence Dimension Score.  Approximately five years later, they returned for a follow-up visit and completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF; Giola, Isquith, Guy & Kenworthy, 2000) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Sparrow, Cicchetti & Bella, 2005).  

Results: Current results demonstrate a link between parent report of the child’s persistence in early childhood and executive function skills in middle childhood. Significant associations were observed for initiation (r=.39), working memory (r=.41) and plan/organize (r=.32), as well as the global executive composite score (r=.34).  Examination of associations between persistence, executive function and adaptive skills are underway.

Conclusions: Preliminary analyses suggest that early temperamental persistence is a potential precursor for later executive problems. Identifying early risk factors from a neurocognitive perspective allows for earlier, and more targeted interventions, as well as studies from a neurobiological perspective.