A comparison of working memory profiles in school-aged children with Specific Language Impairment, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Comorbid SLI and ADHD and their typically developing peers

Child Neuropsychol. 2012;18(2):190-207. doi: 10.1080/09297049.2011.601288. Epub 2011 Sep 15.

Abstract

The association between specific language impairment (SLI), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and working memory (WM) was examined. WM has been implicated in language acquisition and models of ADHD; however, evidence for WM deficits in SLI and ADHD has been inconsistent. The components of Baddeley's WM model were investigated in 18 children with SLI, 16 children with ADHD, 11 children with comorbid SLI+ADHD, and 24 typically developing (TD) children. The presence of SLI resulted in deficits in more components of WM than the presence of ADHD indicating that children with SLI are more vulnerable to WM deficits than those with ADHD.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / epidemiology*
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
  • Child
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Language Development
  • Language Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Language Disorders / psychology
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Memory Disorders / psychology
  • Memory, Short-Term*
  • Neuropsychological Tests / statistics & numerical data
  • Peer Group