Word retrieval ability on semantic fluency task in typically developing Malayalam-speaking children

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Linguistics
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Word-retrieval abilities are crucial for cognitive development and are assessed via verbal fluency tasks.
• Semantic fluency specifically measures the ability to retrieve associated words from the mental lexicon.
• Understanding the developmental trajectory of semantic fluency in children is essential for educational and clinical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the developmental changes in semantic fluency among Malayalam-speaking children.
• To analyze age-related trends in word generation, clustering, and switching strategies.
• To examine potential gender-based differences in semantic fluency development.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1,015 Malayalam-speaking children aged 5 to 15 years.
• Participants completed a semantic verbal fluency task.
• Data analyzed for total correct word scores, number of clusters, cluster size, and switching scores.

Main Results:

• A significant developmental trend was observed in mean total correct word scores, number of clusters generated, and switching scores with increasing age.
• Mean cluster size did not show statistically significant variation across the age range.
• No significant differences in semantic fluency scores were found between genders.

Conclusions:

• Semantic fluency demonstrates a linear developmental progression in children, characterized by enhanced word retrieval and strategic organization.
• The complexity of strategy use in verbal fluency increases linearly with age.
• Gender does not appear to be a significant factor influencing semantic fluency development in this population.