Working memory in children with developmental disorders

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to directly compare working memory skills across students with different developmental disorders in orders to investigate whether the uniqueness of their diagnosis would impact memory skills. We report findings confirming differential memory profiles on the basis of the following developmental disorders: Specific Language Impairment (SLI), Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Asperger syndrome (AS). Specifically, language impairments were associated with selective deficits in verbal short-term and working memory, while motor impairments (DCD) with selective deficits in visuo-spatial short-term and working memory. Children with attention problems were impaired in working memory in both verbal and visuo-spatial domains, while the Children with AS had deficits in verbal short-term memory but not in any other memory component. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of support for learning.