title: Teachers' report of learning and behavioural difficulties in children treated for cerebellar tumours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was the validation of the Deasy-Spinetta Questionnaire (DSQ) in 6-11 year olds with attention to the verification of three factors (learning difficulties, socialization and emotionality) and its application in children treated for cerebellar tumour.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine children aged between 6-11 years were compared with 609 classmates. Teachers completed the DSQ. Patients were evaluated according to Wechsler Scales, the Purdue Pegboard and the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In classmates, the DSQ factorial analysis showed three factors: learning, socialization difficulties and disturbing behaviour. Teachers reported more learning difficulties in patients than in classmates. Learning difficulties in patients were greater for mathematics and reasoning than for reading. Patients were described as less active, without evidence of autistic-like behaviour or irritability. The teachers' report of learning difficulties was significantly correlated with IQ scores, but not with neurological deficits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed DSQ scores are interesting for the assessment of learning and behavioural difficulties in children treated for cerebellar tumours, as they provide complementary ecological information to that given by clinical and neuropsychological testing.
authors.affiliation: Département d'Oncologie Pédiatrique, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kieffer
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longaud
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Callu
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laroussinie
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Viguier
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grill
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dellatolas
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D056344:Executive Function; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis