Research in the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychology (CAN) Lab broadly focuses on the role of executive functions in development, spanning from the preschool years through early adulthood. Executive functions are self-regulatory abilities that we use in situations that are new, difficult, dangerous, and/or that require a different way of responding. Some of these abilities emerge early in life and are foundational to purposeful behaviour, like paying attention, keeping track of important information, and stopping ourselves from acting impulsively. Other abilities are more complex and take longer to develop, such as learning how to juggle competing demands for our time, plan effectively, and keep ourselves organized. Our studies examine how these abilities develop, why they are important, and what we can do to strengthen and/or support them in order to reduce impairment, and improve function, in day-to-day life.
News
Think well, be well, teen edition: Student Fatima Wasif publishes in Journal of Happiness Studies
As teenagers enter high school, they face increased demands for independent academic work coupled with the need to establish new social networks. In this work, we demonstrate that youth with executive function challenges are more likely to experience a decrement in their sense of well-being upon entering high school; however, this effect is lessened if they feel connected with others (e.g., peers and family). This work, undertaken with youth residing in Waterloo Region, has just been published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
Modified Goal Management Training for Adolescents with ADHD: Student Mahsa Sadeghi publishes a clinical intervention study in Applied Neuropsychology - Child
This study presents preliminary findings on the feasibility and potential utility of an intervention for adolescents with ADHD who have challenges with executive functions (EF). This pilot included 6 teens from across Ontario who participated in an online modified version of Goal Management Training, initially developed by Dr. Brian Levine and colleagues at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto for use with adults. Our findings show that youth who participated in most of the 6 sessions experienced success in reaching their goals, were less impaired in day-to-day life, and had some improvement in EF. This work has been published in the journal Applied Neuropsychology: Child.
CAN Lab Students Receive CGS Awards
Congratulations to MA student Brianna MacPherson and PhD student Fatima Wasif on their receipt of a highly competitive Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS-M and CGS-D, respectively) awarded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada! These awards are intended to support students who demonstrate high achievement and future potential in their graduate training. Way to go Brianna and Fatima!