20601
Improvements in Block Design Task Following Flexibility Intervention Related to Increased Time Spent on Items
Objectives: This study investigates differences in pre-intervention and post-intervention performances on the Block Design task in order to understand the mechanisms underlying the observed changes.
Methods: 67 children (age M=9.52, SD=1.02) with ASD and IQ>70 (M=108.45, SD=18.01) were evaluated at pre and post intervention using the Block Design subtest of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). WASIs were administered by trained research assistants. The Block Design subtest is a measure of speeded problem solving, and has been used as an executive functioning measure is other studies.
Results: A paired-samples t-test demonstrated significant improvements in pre to post-intervention t-scores on the block design (BD) task. Pearson chi square identified item-level improvements between pre- and post- on items 7 & 8 of BD, X2 (1, N = 118) = 4.735, p <.05 and X2 (1, N = 105) = 3.464, p <.05, respectively. Paired samples t-tests indicated that relative to pre-testing, participants spent significantly more time on four BD items (items 3, 4, 5 & 10) at post-testing (t’s(55)=2.109-3.187, p’s<.05).
Conclusions: Improvements in BD scores at post-intervention related to improvements in task accuracy and increased time spent on items. Increased time spent on BD items may be an indicator of decreased impulsivity and/or increased use of varying strategies for problem solving, an indicator of cognitive flexibility.