Adaptive Functioning and Academic Achievement in Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Associations with Executive Functioning and Socioeconomic Status

Authors

Victoria C. Seghatol-Eslami, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

Advisor(s)

Donna L Murdaugh

Committee Member(s)

Edwin W Cook III

Noha Sharafeldin

Julie Wolfson

Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

2022

Degree Name by School

Master of Arts (MA) College of Arts and Sciences

Abstract

This study examined the associations of functional outcomes (adaptive functioning and academic achievement) with executive functioning and neighborhood-specific variables (area deprivation and child opportunity) and individualized education plan (IEP) support in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). From a retrospective database, 44 patients (38.6% female, 72.7% non-Hispanic White, ages 6-17) previously diagnosed with low-risk or standard-risk pre-B cell ALL and treated with chemotherapy-only were identified. Participants were evaluated on performance-based measures of executive functioning and academic achievement, and parent-ratings of executive and adaptive functioning. Within adaptive functioning, 45.5% of patients showed impairment (≥ 1 SD above the normative mean) in activities of daily living and leadership. Adaptive functioning was significantly positively correlated with parent-rated, but not performance-based, executive functioning (p<0.001). Compared to female survivors, male survivors were at increased risk for adaptive functioning difficulties (p<0.05). Impairments for word reading and math calculation were 25% and 41.7%, respectively. Greater math calculation was associated with better performance-based executive functioning (p<0.05), and survivors with older age at evaluation and those without IEP support showed better word reading (p<0.05). Functional outcomes were not associated with neighborhood-specific variables. Overall, findings suggest that a subset

Comments

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Recommended Citation

Seghatol-Eslami, Victoria C., "Adaptive Functioning and Academic Achievement in Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Associations with Executive Functioning and Socioeconomic Status" (2022). All ETDs from UAB. 123.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/123