Deficits in working memory in young adults with reading disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to assess the extent to which reading disabilities (RD) in young adults are related to deficits in specific aspects of temporary storage of verbal information, namely, memory span and the central executive (CE) component of working memory. Thirty-two native Hebrew-speaking young adults with and without RD were administered a battery of memory tasks. These tasks included Digit Span Forward and Backward tests and a new version of the Token Test (TT) which is aimed at detecting subtle deficits in auditory verbal working memory. Results showed significantly poorer performance of the RD participants than the controls on the memory tests, especially on tasks that tax the CE. These findings, albeit preliminary, support the general working memory deficit hypothesis in individuals with RD, indicating that both memory span and the CE are deficient. Learning outcomes: As a result of this activity, the reader will able to describe the different components of the verbal working memory and the debate concerning the origin of working memory deficits in individuals with reading disabilities. The reader will also be able to apply clinical suggestions as to how one might assess components of working memory.