Comparison of attentional set shifting in cerebral palsy children with normal in aged 7-12 years

Back ground and The present study evaluates attentional set shifting, that is from the most important executive functions in performing the learning tasks and intellectual actions in children with cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia). For this cross sectional/analytical study, 40 children between 7 and 12 were recruited by random sampling into 2 groups: 20 children with cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia), with mean age of 8.94 years old; and 20 normal children with mean age of 8.86 years old. Data were collected using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), CANTAB and Raven test of intelligence. Data were analyzed using independent t-test. Children with cerebral palsy did not differ from the normal children in attentional set shifting. Comparing of the means of errors, trials and complete stages, with 18 outputs over all, demonstrated no significant difference between 2 groups (p>0.05). In regard with these findings, it seems that children with cerebral palsy are not weak in attentional set shifting in comparing with peers, while in some other metacognitive functions such as spatial planning, working memory capacity and spatial working memory, these children are more retarded than normal children.