Systematic Review: Assessment of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Over the Past Decade

Overview

Journal J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry

Publisher Elsevier

Specialties Pediatrics
Psychiatry

Date 2020 Nov 9

PMID 33166623

Citations 27

Authors

Stephen P Becker

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the measures designed to assess sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) since the first SCT scale using careful test-construction procedures was published in 2009.

Method: MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, PsychINFO, and Web of Science databases were searched from September 2009 through December 2019. Articles reporting on reliability (internal consistency, test-retest, and interrater reliability), structural validity (an aspect of construct validity focused on items' convergent and discriminant validity), concurrent and longitudinal external validity, invariance, or intervention/experimental findings were included.

Results: Full criteria for data extraction and inclusion were met by 76 studies. Nine measures for assessing SCT were identified (7 assessing parent report, teacher report, and/or self-report in children and 2 assessing self-report and/or collateral informant report in adults). Each measure demonstrated acceptable to excellent reliability. All or at least the majority of SCT items on each measure also had structural validity (high loadings on an SCT factor and low loadings on an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] inattention factor). Studies have supported the invariance of SCT across sex and time, and there is initial evidence of invariance across informants, youths with ADHD and youths without ADHD, and ADHD presentations. The Child and Adolescent Behavior Inventory (CABI), Child Concentration Inventory, Second Edition (CCI-2), and Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV (BAARS-IV) have particularly strong support for assessing parent/teacher-reported, youth self-reported, and adult self-reported SCT, respectively.

Conclusion: The SCT measures included in this review share numerous positive properties, have promising psychometric support, and have proven useful for examining the external correlates of SCT across the life span. Although substantial progress has been made over the last decade, work remains to be done to further improve the assessment of SCT and key directions for future research are provided.

Citing Articles

Neuropsychological correlates of ADHD: indicators of different attentional profiles among youth with sluggish cognitive tempo.

Krone B, Bedard A, Schulz K, Ivanov I, Stein M, Newcorn J Front Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025; 2():1208660.

PMID: 39816860 PMC: 11731839. DOI: 10.3389/frcha.2023.1208660.

Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome and Autism Traits are Empirically Distinct from each Other and from Other Psychopathology Dimensions.

Mayes S, Becker S, Waschbusch D Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol. 2025; 53(2):151-161.

PMID: 39786640 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-024-01281-y.

ADHD and cognitive disengagement syndrome symptoms related to self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in early adolescents.

Thornton K, Wiggs K, Epstein J, Tamm L, Becker S Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2024; 34(3):1195-1206.

PMID: 39235462 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-024-02556-x.

Psychopathology of cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS): a network analysis based on CBCL scales in 72,106 Chinese school students.

Jiang Z, Xu H, Wang X, Zhang W, Zhang A, Yu L Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2024; 34(3):1081-1095.

PMID: 39096387 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-024-02540-5.

Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome-Clinical Interview (CDS-CI): Psychometric support for caregiver and youth versions.

Becker S, Dunn N, Fredrick J, McBurnett K, Tamm L, Burns G Psychol Assess. 2024; 36(10):618-630.

PMID: 38976451 PMC: 11853948. DOI: 10.1037/pas0001330.

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