Cognitive Predictors of Adaptive Functioning Vary According to Pediatric Brain Tumor Location

This archival study sought to determine if the relationship between cognitive and adaptive abilities varied according to brain tumor location. Participants were 36 children treated for brain tumors. The best cognitive predictors of adaptive functioning were hypothesized to be attention span within the cerebellar group and verbal memory within the third ventricle group. Auditory attention span significantly predicted communication skills for the cerebellar group, whereas verbal memory significantly predicted socialization skills for the third ventricle group. These findings suggest that cognitive predictors vary according to tumor location, and highlight the need for more research examining adaptive functioning and its correlates.