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Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)
Published on: June 12, 2017
Processing efficiency in preschoolers' memory span: individual differences related to age and anxiety
Laura Visu-Petra1, Mircea Miclea, Lavinia Cheie
1Department of Psychology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. laurapetra@psychology.ro
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
|November 13, 2008
Summary
Preschoolers' short-term memory effectiveness and efficiency improve with age. Trait anxiety negatively impacts memory span accuracy and speed, particularly for digit and nonword recall.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Educational psychology
Background:
- Self-paced auditory memory span tasks offer insights into cognitive development.
- Response timing analysis reveals distinct processing rates during recall.
- Early childhood memory development is influenced by multiple factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of age and trait anxiety on memory span effectiveness and efficiency in preschoolers.
- To examine the longitudinal development of memory span and articulation rate.
- To explore the relationship between memory performance and attentional control.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with preschool children (N=76, mean age 57 months).
- Assessed word and digit span accuracy and response times at two time points, 8 months apart.
- Included nonword memory span and articulation rate measures at the second time point.
Main Results:
- Age positively predicted both memory span effectiveness (accuracy) and efficiency (speed).
- Trait anxiety negatively predicted span effectiveness and efficiency.
- Anxiety's impact was more pronounced for digit span accuracy and word/nonword span efficiency.
Conclusions:
- Age-related gains in short-term memory are evident in both accuracy and processing speed during early childhood.
- Trait anxiety poses a risk factor for poorer memory performance in preschoolers.
- Findings support the role of attentional control in early memory development.
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