title: [Formula: see text]Cumulative neurological factors associated with long-term outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors.
abstract: Prior research has demonstrated the reliability and validity of the Neurological Predictor Scale (NPS) in relation to childhood brain tumor survivor outcomes; however, its use has not been examined in adult long-term survivors. The current study examines the concurrent validity of the NPS with long-term intellectual and adaptive outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors relative to individual variables alone. A total of 68 adult survivors of childhood brain tumors (M = 24 years old, SD = 4) almost 16 years post diagnosis (SD = 6) completed intellectual evaluations using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Survivors' adaptive functioning skills were assessed via informant structured clinical interviews (SIB-R). NPS scores were computed from data acquired from medical records. The NPS was significantly associated with intellectual (R(2) = 0.208, p < .05) and adaptive outcomes (R(2) = 0.30, p < .05) over and above individual risk factors. Approximately 18% of long-term survivors were identified as impaired in intellectual outcomes, and 29% were identified as impaired in adaptive functioning in everyday life skills. The NPS quantifies the cumulative effects of treatment and neurological sequelae experienced by both short- and long-term survivors of childhood brain tumors. It is a useful and easy measure to employ in clinical research that focuses on quantifying the neurological risk factors associated with long-term intellectual and adaptive functioning outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Institute , Georgia State University , Atlanta , GA , USA.
authors.forename: Tricia Z
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Institute , Georgia State University , Atlanta , GA , USA.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Na
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adaptive functioning; Brain tumors; Intelligence; Long-term survival; Outcomes research