6533b871fe1ef96bd12d1c81

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Working memory structure and intellectual disability

H. NumminenE. ServiceT. AhonenT. KorhonenA. TolvanenK. PatjaI. Ruoppila

subject

AdultAdolescentReconstructive memoryShort-term memoryNeuropsychological TestsSeverity of Illness Index050105 experimental psychologyDevelopmental psychologyArts and Humanities (miscellaneous)Intellectual DisabilityMemory spanHumans0501 psychology and cognitive sciencesCognitive skillChildMemory DisordersWorking memory05 social sciencesRehabilitationReproducibility of ResultsMiddle AgedAchievementPsychiatry and Mental healthCross-Sectional StudiesNeurologyChild PreschoolPopulation SurveillanceNeurology (clinical)Childhood memoryVerbal memoryCognition DisordersPsychologyCognitive loadFollow-Up Studies050104 developmental & child psychologyCognitive psychology

description

The working memory of people with intellectual disability has been found to generally lag behind their mental age. However, studies concerning the structure of working memory or its connections to other cognitive functions are rare. The present study employs a versatile battery of tests for the evaluation of working memory structure in adults with intellectual disability of unknown aetiology. In addition, connections between working memory and cognitive skills valid for everyday functioning are evaluated. Working memory performance in the study participants was found to stem from two distinct components which could be regarded to represent phonological and general working memory. General working memory was closely related to intelligence, whereas phonological working memory was not. The subjects in the study group differed in their working memory profiles. These distinct profiles were significantly related to academic skills (e.g. reading, writing and mathematics) and sentence comprehension because the profile of the working memory predicted these abilities even when the intelligence and educational background of the participants was taken into consideration.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2000-10-01Journal of Intellectual Disability Research
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2788.2000.00279.x