The Contribution of Post-secondary Academic Courses on Crystallized and Fluid Tests of Adults with Intellectual Disability with/without Down Syndrome

H. Lifshitz-Vahav, S Nissim, shlomit Meirovich, I Weiss

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The study's goal was to examine the influence of postsecondary education (PSE)
in the form of academic courses at the School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, on
the cognitive performance of adults with intellectual disability (ID). The sample
included adults who participate in PSE (N=21; CA=26-59) and a control group of
adults who participate in leisure activities, but not in PSE (N=28; CA=25.5-59). The
Participation in Cognitively-stimulating Activities Questionnaire was used. The
participants rated their participation in cognitively-stimulating activities during
the week. These were grouped into five main activities: Table games, watching TV,
reading, using technological devices, participating in PSE. A crystallized and fluid
battery was administered. Mixed regression with chronological age, etiology, and
participation in the five main activities as independent variables indicated that
participation in PSE contributed to semantic fluency, homophones and the Raven
matrices. Path analysis suggested that the five main activities predict performance
on the crystallized and fluid tests. The opposite model was insufficient. The
findings support the Compensation Age Theory and the Cognitive Activity
Theory for populations with ID with/without DS. Their cognitive performance is
determined not only by age and etiology, but also by lifestyle, such as participation
in cognitively-stimulating activities, and especially PSE
Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)34-45
Number of pages12
JournalActa Psychopathalogia
Volume2
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 31 Jul 2016

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