ADVANCES IN THE ASSESSMENT AND CLINICAL DISTINCTION OF SLOW COGNITIVE TEMPO

Abstract

The Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) or Slow Cognitive Tempo (SCL) is a psychological dimension originally linked to the inattentive subtype of Attention Deficit Disorder and Hyperactivity (ADHD). However, in the last decade, it has managed to establish itself as a independent dimension, so that although its measurement continues to be related significantly with the typical behaviors of ADHD inattention, has been shown to have a relevant influence in many areas of behavioral, social activity, academic and emotional of the child. Our research team has been working for years on this dimension. During this time the interest on the subject has increased exponentially in related topic and research publications, from multiple perspectives. One of the most solid results we have achieved is to contribute to both the definition and the evaluation of this dimension. Nowadays, SCT characterizes a person who dreams awakens in an excessive way, that always seems somewhat confused and whose behavior and thought are clearly slowed down. On the other hand, although they can vary depending on the  evaluator (parents, teachers, clinicians or by him/herself) and the country or culture, there are a set of items, around 10, grouped around an alert/attention factor and another one of motor slowing down and that, derived from longitudinal and cross-cultural powerful factorial studies, they constitute the main scales of assessment of the dimension. However, despite these advances, there are obviously still many aspects to be addressed to solve. In this symposium we will present some results that contribute to the progress of the clinical assessment and distinction of SCT.

Belén Sáez holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Valencia, Spain. In addition, she completed her training with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Neuropsychology (ISEP) and another in Neurosciences (UIB). She currently works as a researcher at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), where she is a PhD student funded by a competitive call for young researchers (FPI-MINECO). From 2010, she has published several articles in national and international impact journals as main author and co-author. In addition she has conducted multiple research stays in national and international centers, for example, in the prestigious “Center for ADHD. Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology (BMCP)” from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). She has contributed with numerous presentations in national and international congresses. She is a member of research team called Development and Psychopathology (DEVPSY) of IUNICS-UIB and IdISBa. As a member of this team she has collaborated in various projects within the field of neuropsychology and child psychopathology. She currently collaborates in the project “Characterization of inattention phenotypes in children: the behavioral and neuropsychological profiles of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder”. Her main line of research focuses on the analysis of the diagnostic validity of the Sluggish Cognitive Tempo. In addition, she is a member of the working group of Neuropsychology of the Official College of Psychology of the Balearic Islands (COPIB) and collaborating member of the Child Psychological Counseling Unit (UAPI) of the UIB. Likewise, she collaborates in teaching courses related to the field of Neuropsychology and Psychopathology at the Department of Psychology.