The development in rating-based executive functions in children at familial high risk of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder from age 7 to age 11: the Danish high risk and resilience study

Executive functions (EF) deficits are well documented in children at familial high risk of schizophrenia (FHR-SZ), and to a lesser degree in children at familial high risk of bipolar disorder (FHR-BP). The aim of this study was to assess EF development in preadolescent children at FHR-SZ, FHR-BP and population-based controls (PBC) using a multi-informant rating scale. A total of 519 children (FHR-SZ, n = 201; FHR-BP, n = 119; PBC, n = 199) participated at age 7, at age 11 or at both time points. Caregivers and teachers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF). The developmental pattern from age 7 to age 11, did not differ between groups. At age 11, caregivers and teachers rated children at FHR-SZ as having widespread EF deficits. A higher proportion of children at FHR-SZ had clinically significant scores on the General executive composite (GEC) and all BRIEF indices compared to PBC. According to the caregivers, children at FHR-BP had significantly more EF deficits than PBC on 9 out of 13 BRIEF scales, whereas according to teachers, they only had significantly more deficits on one subdomain (Initiate). Likewise, caregivers rated a significantly higher proportion of children at FHR-BP above the clinical cut-off on the GEC and Metacognition index, compared to PBC, whereas there were no significant differences according to teachers. This study highlights the relevance of including multi-informant rating scales in the assessment of EF in children at FHR-SZ and FHR-BP. The results imply a need to identify children at high risk who would benefit from targeted intervention.