An investigation into prospective memory in children with developmental dyslexia

Khan, Azizuddin · 2014 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01308

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Summary

This study investigates prospective memory performance in children with developmental dyslexia, addressing a gap in literature regarding how this specific memory type—defined as the realization of delayed intentions—functions in dyslexic populations. While phonological deficits are well-established causes of reading difficulties, the role of prospective memory, meta-memory (beliefs about one’s memory), and attention in these children had not been previously explored. The research aimed to compare prospective and retrospective memory between dyslexic and non-dyslexic children, examine the influence of meta-memory beliefs, and assess the impact of attentional conditions on performance. The study involved 115 participants (mean age 12.23 years), comprising 51 children diagnosed with developmental dyslexia and 64 normal controls. Participants were screened using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) and Woodcock–Johnson Tests. Data were collected using three self-report questionnaires: the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), the Everyday Memory Questionnaire (EMQ) to assess meta-memory, and the Everyday Attention Questionnaire (EAQ). Participants were categorized into high and low meta-memory groups based on their EMQ scores. The experimental design employed a factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) with memory type, term length, cue type, and group as factors, alongside a separate analysis for attention conditions. Results indicated significant main effects for memory type, term length, and group. Children with dyslexia demonstrated significantly worse performance on both prospective and retrospective memory tasks compared to normal controls. Specifically, dyslexic participants reported higher frequencies of memory errors across all conditions, including short-term and long-term, as well as self-cued and environmentally-cued tasks. Meta-memory significantly influenced performance in both groups, but its effect was more pronounced in the dyslexic group; those with higher meta-memory scores performed better than those with lower scores. Additionally, attentional conditions significantly affected performance, with dyslexic children showing deteriorated performance under difficult and mixed attentional conditions compared to controls. Significant interactions were found between term, cue, and meta-memory, suggesting complex dependencies in how these factors influence memory errors. The findings suggest that developmental dyslexia is associated with broader cognitive deficits beyond phonological processing, extending to prospective memory and attentional control. The strong influence of meta-memory on prospective memory performance, particularly in dyslexic children, highlights the importance of self-beliefs and confidence in memory tasks. These results imply that interventions for dyslexia should consider not only reading-specific skills but also strategies to improve prospective memory and attentional management. The study contributes to the understanding of the cognitive profile of dyslexia, indicating that deficits in future-oriented memory and attention may exacerbate daily functioning challenges for affected children.

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• prospective memory interruptions