The development in rating-based executive functions in children at familial high risk of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder from age 7 to age 11: the Danish high risk and resilience study

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Anna Krogh Andreassen
  • Rikke Lambek
  • Aja Greve
  • Nicoline Hemager
  • Christina Bruun Knudsen
  • Lotte Veddum
  • Merete Birk
  • Anne Søndergaard
  • Julie Marie Brandt
  • Maja Gregersen
  • Mette Falkenberg-Krantz
  • Katrine Søborg Spang
  • Jessica Ohland
  • Birgitte Klee Burton
  • Jens Richardt Møllegaard Jepsen
  • Thorup, Anne Amalie Elgaard
  • Nordentoft, Merete
  • Ole Mors
  • Vibeke Fuglsang Bliksted

Executive functions (EF) deficits are well documented in children at familial high risk of schizophrenia (FHR-SZ), and to a lesser degree in children at familial high risk of bipolar disorder (FHR-BP). The aim of this study was to assess EF development in preadolescent children at FHR-SZ, FHR-BP and population-based controls (PBC) using a multi-informant rating scale. A total of 519 children (FHR-SZ, n = 201; FHR-BP, n = 119; PBC, n = 199) participated at age 7, at age 11 or at both time points. Caregivers and teachers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF). The developmental pattern from age 7 to age 11, did not differ between groups. At age 11, caregivers and teachers rated children at FHR-SZ as having widespread EF deficits. A higher proportion of children at FHR-SZ had clinically significant scores on the General executive composite (GEC) and all BRIEF indices compared to PBC. According to the caregivers, children at FHR-BP had significantly more EF deficits than PBC on 9 out of 13 BRIEF scales, whereas according to teachers, they only had significantly more deficits on one subdomain (Initiate). Likewise, caregivers rated a significantly higher proportion of children at FHR-BP above the clinical cut-off on the GEC and Metacognition index, compared to PBC, whereas there were no significant differences according to teachers. This study highlights the relevance of including multi-informant rating scales in the assessment of EF in children at FHR-SZ and FHR-BP. The results imply a need to identify children at high risk who would benefit from targeted intervention.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Volume33
Pages (from-to)549–560
Number of pages12
ISSN1018-8827
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.

    Research areas

  • Bipolar disorder, BRIEF, Development, Executive functions, Rating-based assessment, Schizophrenia

ID: 366645059