Conversion disorder in children and adolescents: a disorder of cognitive control

Kasia Kozlowska; Donna M. Palmer; Kerri J. Brown; Stephen Scher; Catherine Chudleigh; Fiona Davies; Leanne M. Williams

doi:10.1111/jnp.12037

Conversion disorder in children and adolescents: a disorder of cognitive control

Kasia Kozlowska^*, Donna M. Palmer, Kerri J. Brown, Stephen Scher, Catherine Chudleigh, Fiona Davies, Leanne M. Williams

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

33 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess cognitive function in children and adolescents presenting with acute conversion symptoms.

MethodsFifty-seven participants aged 8.5-18years (41 girls and 16 boys) with conversion symptoms and 57 age- and gender-matched healthy controls completed the IntegNeuro neurocognitive battery, an estimate of intelligence, and self-report measures of subjective emotional distress.

ResultsParticipants with conversion symptoms showed poorer performance within attention, executive function, and memory domains. Poorer performance was reflected in more errors on specific tests: Switching of Attention (t(79)=2.17, p=.03); Verbal Interference (t(72)=2.64, p=.01); Go/No-Go (t(73)=2.20, p=.03); Memory Recall and Verbal Learning (interference errors for memory recall; t(61)=3.13, p

ConclusionsChildren and adolescents with acute conversion symptoms have a reduced capacity to manipulate and retain information, to block interfering information, and to inhibit responses, all of which are required for effective attention, executive function, and memory.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	87-108
Number of pages	22
Journal	Journal of neuropsychology
Volume	9
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jnp.12037
Publication status	Published - Mar 2015
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

conversion disorders
dissociative disorder
neurocognitive tests
attention
executive function and control
memory
dynamic-maturational model

Access to Document

10.1111/jnp.12037

Link to publication in Scopus

Cite this

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title = "Conversion disorder in children and adolescents: a disorder of cognitive control",

abstract = "ObjectiveTo assess cognitive function in children and adolescents presenting with acute conversion symptoms.MethodsFifty-seven participants aged 8.5-18years (41 girls and 16 boys) with conversion symptoms and 57 age- and gender-matched healthy controls completed the IntegNeuro neurocognitive battery, an estimate of intelligence, and self-report measures of subjective emotional distress.ResultsParticipants with conversion symptoms showed poorer performance within attention, executive function, and memory domains. Poorer performance was reflected in more errors on specific tests: Switching of Attention (t(79)=2.17, p=.03); Verbal Interference (t(72)=2.64, p=.01); Go/No-Go (t(73)=2.20, p=.03); Memory Recall and Verbal Learning (interference errors for memory recall; t(61)=3.13, pConclusionsChildren and adolescents with acute conversion symptoms have a reduced capacity to manipulate and retain information, to block interfering information, and to inhibit responses, all of which are required for effective attention, executive function, and memory.",

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author = "Kasia Kozlowska and Palmer, {Donna M.} and Brown, {Kerri J.} and Stephen Scher and Catherine Chudleigh and Fiona Davies and Williams, {Leanne M.}",

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AU - Kozlowska, Kasia

AU - Palmer, Donna M.

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AU - Scher, Stephen

AU - Chudleigh, Catherine

AU - Davies, Fiona

AU - Williams, Leanne M.

PY - 2015/3

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N2 - ObjectiveTo assess cognitive function in children and adolescents presenting with acute conversion symptoms.MethodsFifty-seven participants aged 8.5-18years (41 girls and 16 boys) with conversion symptoms and 57 age- and gender-matched healthy controls completed the IntegNeuro neurocognitive battery, an estimate of intelligence, and self-report measures of subjective emotional distress.ResultsParticipants with conversion symptoms showed poorer performance within attention, executive function, and memory domains. Poorer performance was reflected in more errors on specific tests: Switching of Attention (t(79)=2.17, p=.03); Verbal Interference (t(72)=2.64, p=.01); Go/No-Go (t(73)=2.20, p=.03); Memory Recall and Verbal Learning (interference errors for memory recall; t(61)=3.13, pConclusionsChildren and adolescents with acute conversion symptoms have a reduced capacity to manipulate and retain information, to block interfering information, and to inhibit responses, all of which are required for effective attention, executive function, and memory.

AB - ObjectiveTo assess cognitive function in children and adolescents presenting with acute conversion symptoms.MethodsFifty-seven participants aged 8.5-18years (41 girls and 16 boys) with conversion symptoms and 57 age- and gender-matched healthy controls completed the IntegNeuro neurocognitive battery, an estimate of intelligence, and self-report measures of subjective emotional distress.ResultsParticipants with conversion symptoms showed poorer performance within attention, executive function, and memory domains. Poorer performance was reflected in more errors on specific tests: Switching of Attention (t(79)=2.17, p=.03); Verbal Interference (t(72)=2.64, p=.01); Go/No-Go (t(73)=2.20, p=.03); Memory Recall and Verbal Learning (interference errors for memory recall; t(61)=3.13, pConclusionsChildren and adolescents with acute conversion symptoms have a reduced capacity to manipulate and retain information, to block interfering information, and to inhibit responses, all of which are required for effective attention, executive function, and memory.

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