title: Multitasking Abilities in Adolescents With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Results From an Experimental Ecological Paradigm.
abstract: The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is associated with cognitive and functional impairments and increased risk for schizophrenia. We characterized multitasking abilities of adolescents with 22q11.2DS using an experimental naturalistic setting and examined whether multitasking impairments were associated with real-world functioning and negative symptoms. Thirty-nine adolescents (19 with 22q11.2DS and 20 controls) underwent the Multitasking Evaluation for Adolescents. Real-world functioning and clinical symptoms were assessed in participants with 22q11.2DS. Adolescents with 22q11.2DS performed poorly in the multitasking evaluation. Our data also suggest that multitasking abilities are related to adaptive functioning in the practical domain and negative symptoms. This study shows that adolescents with 22q11.2DS are characterized by multitasking impairments, which may be relevant for several aspects of the clinical phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Maude Schneider, Office Médico-Pédagogique Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Cognitive Psychopathology, and Neuropsychology Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland;
authors.forename: Maude
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Stephan Eliez, Office Médico-Pédagogique Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, and Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, School of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland;
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eliez
authors.affiliation: Julie Birr, Office Médico-Pédagogique Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland;
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Birr
authors.affiliation: Sarah Menghetti, Office Médico-Pédagogique Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland;
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Menghetti
authors.affiliation: Martin Debbané, Adolescence Clinical Psychology Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; and.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Debbané
authors.affiliation: Martial Van der Linden, Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van der Linden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004062:DiGeorge Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 22q11.2 deletion syndrome; adolescents; multitasking; negative symptoms; real-world functioning