Ann Rehabil Med.  2024 Apr;48(2):135-145. 10.5535/arm.230014.

Establishing Reference Values for a New Computerized Cognitive Function Test Program for Children

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, National Traffic Injury Rehabilitation Hospital, Yangpyeong, Korea
  • 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea

Abstract


Objective
To establish reference values for the computerized cognitive test and evaluate cognitive function improvements across different age groups, we introduce the computerized Cognitive Function Test program (eCFT), specifically designed for children. We aimed to establish eCFT reference values and assess cognitive function improvements across different age groups.
Methods
We included children aged 3–6 years with confirmed normal cognition based on the Korean Developmental Screening Test for Infants and Children and Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children-II. The eCFT consists of 8 subtests for visual perception, attention, memory, and executive function.
Results
A total of 66 participants (36 males and 30 females) with an average age of 4.4 years participated. The age 6 group consistently outperformed both age group 3 and 4 in terms of correct responses. With regard to the completed stage, the “selective auditory stimulus” test findings were 2.0 and 3.9 for the age 3 and age 6 groups, respectively (p<0.05). The “trail-making” test findings were 1.7, 2.1, 2.6, and 2.8, respectively (between ages 3 and 6, p<0.01; between ages 4 and 6, p<0.05); moreover, the age 5 group surpassed the age 3 group (2.6 and 1.7, respectively, p<0.05).
Conclusion
The eCFT is an easily accessible tool to evaluate cognitive function in young children. We introduce reference values with a cutoff range for preschool-aged children, enabling early intervention for those with cognitive impairment. Given its accessibility and relatively short evaluation time, the eCFT has potential for clinical use.

Keyword

Cognitive function; Impairment; eCFT; Rehabilitation

Figure

  • Fig. 1. Comparison of cognitive function scores among age groups per subset. (A) Attention. (B) Memory. (C) Working memory. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, and ***p<0.001.

  • Fig. 2. Comparison of completed stages among age groups by subsets. (A) Attention. (B) Memory. (C) Working memory. *p<0.05 and **p<0.01.


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