Examining Executive Functioning and Working Memory in Children With Learning Disabilities

• In Event: 46.087 - Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: 46.087-8 - Special Education Research SIG: Academic Interventions and Outcomes

Abstract

Studies on the executive functioning and working memory impairments of children learning disabilities often report conflicting findings. Any convergence of findings that would provide a clearer picture of these impairments is hindered by several methodological inconsistencies throughout the field. The present study addressed three of these limitations: multiple measures within cognitive domains, a confirmatory factor analysis of measures, and a conservative classification criterion. Four groups were examined: typically achieving, mathematics disabled, reading disabled, and comorbid mathematics/reading disabled. Impairments appeared within each domain. For executive functioning, shifting was more prominent in MD than RD children, while MD and RD showed impairments in inhibition. In working memory, MD children showed impairments on visual-spatial tasks whereas RD children showed impairments on verbal tasks.

Authors

• Pamela Anne McDonald, Queen's University - Kingston

• Derek H. Berg, Queen's University