Executive Function, Working Memory, and Verbal Fluency in Relation to Non-Verbal Intelligence in Greek-Speaking...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Linguistics

Background:

• Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is linked to deficits in working memory (WM), executive functions (EF), and verbal fluency.
• Children with DLD often exhibit lower non-verbal intelligence scores compared to typically developing (TD) peers, though the extent of these difficulties is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate working memory capacity, executive functions, and verbal fluency in relation to non-verbal intelligence in Greek-speaking school-aged children with DLD.
• This study provides a systematic assessment in a Greek-speaking population, expanding on previous research primarily conducted with English speakers.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study design was employed, assessing 8-9-year-old Greek-speaking children with DLD and their TD peers.
• Standardized measures were used to evaluate non-verbal intelligence, working memory capacity, executive functions (including inhibition), and verbal fluency (phonological and semantic).

Main Results:

• Children with DLD performed significantly lower on non-verbal intelligence measures than TD peers.
• No group differences were found in inhibition tasks, but children with DLD were outperformed in working memory updating, monitoring (mixing cost), and verbal fluency.
• The impact of non-verbal intelligence on these cognitive and linguistic measures was minimal or non-existent.

Conclusions:

• Children with DLD exhibit specific weaknesses in working memory, executive functions (updating, monitoring), and verbal fluency, independent of non-verbal intelligence.
• These findings highlight the complex cognitive profile associated with DLD and have implications for targeted interventions.
• Further research is recommended to explore the theoretical and practical implications of these results in diverse linguistic contexts.