OBJECTIVES: * Compare neurobehavioral functioning, specifically memory, attention, executive function, visual-motor integration, and processing speed, in children previously treated with steroids (prednisone vs dexamethasone) and intrathecal therapy (methotrexate alone vs methotrexate, cytarabine, and hydrocortisone) for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. * Correlate non-treatment risk factors, such as gender, age at diagnosis, and time since termination of prior therapy, with impaired neurobehavioral function in these patients. * Correlate neurobehavioral complications with quality-of-life of these patients. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, cohort study. Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 cohorts (prior treatment per CCG-1922 \[prednisone vs dexamethasone\] vs prior treatment per CCG-1952 \[intrathecal (IT) methotrexate vs IT methotrexate, cytarabine, and hydrocortisone\]). Patients in each cohort are stratified according to age at diagnosis, gender, and time since prior treatment termination. * Cohort A (CCG-1922): Patients undergo physical and neurological examination, neurobehavioral evaluation, and quality of life assessment. Neurobehavioral evaluations assess memory, attention, and executive function. * Cohort B (CCG-1952): Patients undergo evaluation as above. Neurobehavioral evaluations assess visual-motor integration and processing speed. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 448 patients (224 per cohort) will be accrued for this study within 4 years.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of standard-risk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) * In continuous first remission * No history of CNS pathology requiring radiotherapy or surgery * Prior enrollment on one of the following Children's Cancer Group (CCG) protocols AND terminated therapy at least 1 year ago: * CCG-1922 (prednisone vs dexamethasone) * CCG-1952 (intrathecal methotrexate vs triple intrathecal therapy) * No prior enrollment on CCG-1952 arm III * No history of pre-existing neurodevelopmental disorder before diagnosis of ALL (e.g., mental retardation, Down syndrome, seizure disorder, or traumatic brain injury) * No neuropsychological assessment within the past 6 months PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 6.5 to 16 years Performance status * Not specified Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Not specified Hepatic * Not specified Renal * Not specified Other * Reading, speaking, and listening comprehension of English by patient required (English and/or Spanish by parent) * No history of very low birth weight (\< 1,500 grams) PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy * See Disease Characteristics Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics Surgery * See Disease Characteristics Other * Concurrent stimulants allowed