Adaptation, utility and effectiveness of the NeuronUP cognitive stimulation platform applied to a therapeutic group of boys and girls with intellectual development disorders and other neurodevelopmental pathologies: a pilot study

Boys and girls with intellectual developmental disorders (ID) and other neurodevelopmental pathologies have deficits in different cognitive areas that can be stimulated through cognitive stimulation programs in digital format, such as with the NeuronUP platform. The NeuronUP cognitive stimulation program aims to design activities based on cognitive constructs, operations and functions involved in everyday activities in order to adapt them to the cognitive stimulation process.

The intervention with this platform has been extensively studied showing its effectiveness in different groups of users with different pathologies, but the evidence has mainly focused on adults with cognitive impairment or acquired brain damage. Its effectiveness in boys and girls with neurodevelopmental disorders has not yet been clearly demonstrated.

Executive Summary
Boys and girls with intellectual development disorders (ID) and other neurodevelopmental pathologies have deficits in different cognitive areas that can be stimulated through cognitive stimulation programs in digital format, such as with the NeuronUP platform. The NeuronUP cognitive stimulation program aims to design activities based on cognitive constructs, operations and functions involved in everyday activities in order to adapt them to the cognitive stimulation process.

Context and Justification
If its effectiveness is demonstrated, the use of this platform can bring a great benefit to these users and families, as well as it can be an easily accessible intervention tool, because it can be counted on from home and perform remote intervention, with a neuropsychology professional programming the treatment and monitoring the results and evolution.

If its usefulness and effectiveness is demonstrated, this can be constituted as an intervention to be offered continuously within the portfolio of services of our entity.

General Objective
Adapt and evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of a virtual group neuropsychological intervention pilot program for boys and girls with cognitive neurodevelopmental disorders and other related pathologies.

Specific Objectives

• The intervention with the NeuronUP program is not only useful but also effective and it will be possible to observe an improvement in the cognitive performance of the participating boys and girls after the intervention.
• The intervention with the NeuronUP program will have a positive impact on better emotional and behavioral regulation, which we will be able to observe through the behavioral inventories administered to parents.

The group intervention will have a weekly character and the sessions will last 90 minutes. The intervention will begin in October and end in July 2024.

The sessions will be conducted by two neuropsychologists from the mental health team of the ambulatory care service. All sessions will have the same structure, devoting the first few minutes to catching up, opening the session and anticipating the day's work, individual work with the NeuronUp platform and closing, reviewing the session and saying goodbye. Psychologists will be present at all times to resolve any doubts that may arise.

The intervention sessions will take place in a specific classroom equipped with a personal computer for each of the users. Previously, the neuropsychologists will design the session for each of the users, adjusting to the individual neuropsychological profile and evolution.

The instruments that will be used will be the following:

• General cognitive assessment: all users have previously completed psychometric tests during their career at Aspace to establish their cognitive diagnosis of intellectual disability. The result is the IQ, a general measure of intellectual performance. The tests used in this case are the Wechsler scales: WPPSI-IV, WISC-V or WNV. This is a completely anonymous measure that will be retrieved from the users' medical history.
• NEPSY-II Child Neuropsychological Assessment Battery: This is a battery that assesses all cognitive domains. The domain of attention and executive functions (a total of 5 subtests) will be partially administered, as the evidence indicates that this is the domain with the greatest weight in the general performance and autonomy of the person.
• Achenbach Behavior Inventory for Boys and Girls 6 to 18 Years (CBCL and TRF): This is a behavior inventory that collects data on the child's behavioral functioning in different areas, and is answered by parents (CBCL version ) and by teachers (TRF version). The data obtained are numerical scores that report on the intensity of the behavior in question. These ratings are also anonymous.
• NeuronUP program: cognitive stimulation program in digital format that allows you to work on the different cognitive functions with activities adapted to the profile of each user. It allows you to collect and analyze the performance of each user and track their progress.