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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

Published on: June 12, 2017

Working memory and social functioning in children.

Julia D McQuade¹, Dianna Murray-Close, Erin K Shoulberg

¹Department of Psychology, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002, USA. jmcquade@amherst.edu

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

|May 14, 2013

Summary

Working memory (WM) deficits, particularly in central executive functions, are linked to social difficulties in children. Impaired aggression and conflict resolution skills mediate this association, impacting peer relationships.

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Area of Science:

Child Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience
Social Development

Background:

Working memory (WM) is crucial for cognitive tasks and social interactions.
Previous research suggests a link between WM and social functioning, but specific associations require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine the relationship between different components of working memory (central executive, verbal storage, spatial storage) and various measures of social functioning in typically developing fourth and fifth graders.
To investigate whether aggressive behaviors and conflict resolution skills mediate the association between central executive WM and broader social impairments.

Main Methods:

A sample of 116 typically developing fourth and fifth graders participated.
Working memory was assessed using measures of central executive, verbal storage, and spatial storage.
Social functioning was evaluated through peer rejection, social competence, relational aggression, physical aggression, and conflict resolution skills.

Main Results:

Poor central executive WM was associated with broad social impairments (peer rejection, low social competence) and specific impairments (physical aggression, relational aggression, poor conflict resolution).
Poor verbal storage was linked only to increased peer rejection; spatial storage showed no association with social impairments.
Physical aggression and impaired conflict resolution skills significantly mediated the relationship between central executive WM and broad social functioning.

Conclusions:

Central executive working memory plays a significant role in children's social functioning, influencing both general social competence and specific behaviors like aggression and conflict resolution.
Targeting central executive WM deficits and related social skills may be beneficial for improving social outcomes in children.
Future research should explore interventions aimed at enhancing working memory and social skills concurrently.