Date of Submission

2018

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

Department Chair

Robert A DiTomasso, PhD, ABPP

First Advisor

Susan Panichelli-Mindel, PhD

Second Advisor

David Festinger, PhD

Third Advisor

Nora Vizzachero, DNP

Abstract

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) is observed in some children and may include daydreaming, inconsistent alertness, mental fogginess, confusion, absentmindedness, behaving or thinking slowly, appearing tired even after a full night of sleep, and lacking energy. The symptoms are said to be multidimensional with two domains: cognitive and behavioral. SCT is often associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). High SCT (HSCT) has been shown to impact academic and social functioning and be associated with elevated anxiety and depression symptoms in children. The majority of extant literature focuses primarily on Caucasian children. The primary objective was to examine the prevalence of SCT and common external correlates in a school-based case study of four Latino children. Parents completed a series of questionnaires about their child’s behaviors. Four out of thirteen respondents endorsed SCT symptoms for their child, with two of them reporting HSCT. Those two children also had enough symptoms to indicate ADHD inattentive type. One HSCT child was reported to have moderate academic difficulty; and both were reported to have social impairments. One HSCT child met the indication for generalized anxiety disorder, and they both met the indication for separation anxiety disorder. One HSCT child had a behavioral symptom presentation and the other had a combined cognitive/behavioral symptom presentation. The case study provides support for the continued study of SCT in a Latino population. The study found SCT to be prevalent across Latino children of different ages, grade levels, and genders and to impact several domains of functioning. The study also provides support for the heterogeneity of SCT symptom presentation, and the presence of two symptom clusters: cognitive and behavioral.

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