The Comparison of Working Memory Performance in Children With and Without Stuttering

Year 2021, Volume: 22 Issue: 4, 827 - 845, 01.12.2021

Ayşe Aydin Ahsen Erim

https://doi.org/10.21565/ozelegitimdergisi.795687

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study is to compare working memory performance between children with and without stuttering. The second aim of the study is to examine the relationship between stuttering frequency and working memory performance in CWS.
Method: The study sample included 20 children with stuttering and 20 children without stuttering and any other concominant speech and language disorders. The participants were matched for age and gender. Working Memory Scale was used for the assessment of working memory. Data from CWS and CWNS were compared with independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test based on normality analyses. The relation between the variables in CWS was examined with Pearson correlation analysis. Also, the percentage of stuttered syllables in a speech sample was calculated in children with stuttering.
Results: There was not a significant difference in verbal and visual memory subtests scores between the children with and without stuttering. However, the verbal memory subtest scores were lower in the children with stuttering.
Discussion: Despite the insignificant results, the study attracts attention to deficits in phonological memory and phonological coding in children with stuttering. In addition, although there was not a significant difference in the visual memory subtests, the children who stutter displayed higher performance in the visual memory subtests. This could be considered as a compensatory mechanism.
Conclusion, Limitations and Suggestions: It can be suggested that further longitudinal studies having larger samples including different age groups, using different behavioral measurement tools and brain imaging techniques may shed light on the issue.

Keywords

Nonword repetition, phonological encoding, phonological memory, stuttering, verbal memory, visual memory, working memory

Kekemeliği Olan ve Olmayan Çocukların Çalışma Belleği Performanslarının Karşılaştırılması

Abstract

Giriş: Bu çalışmanın ilk amacı; kekemeliği olan ve olmayan çocukların çalışma belleği performanslarının karşılaştırılmasıdır. Ayrıca kekemeliği olan çocuklarda kekemelik sıklığı ile çalışma belleği bileşenleri arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amaçlanmaktadır
Yöntem: Çalışmanın katılımcı grubu, 20 kekemeliği olan ve 20 yaş ve cinsiyete göre eşleştirilmiş herhangi bir dil ve konuşma bozukluğu olmayan çocuktan oluşmaktadır. Çalışma belleğinin değerlendirilmesi için katılımcılara Çalışma Belleği Ölçeği uygulanmıştır. Ayrıca kekemeliği olan grupta en az 400 heceden oluşan konuşma örneği üzerinden kekelenen hece yüzdesi hesaplanmıştır.
Bulgular: Yapılan analizler sonucunda; kekemeliği olan ve olmayan çocukların çalışma belleği sözel ve görsel alt test skorları arasındaki farkın istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde olmadığı görülmüştür. Ancak; kekemeliği olan grubun sözel alt test ortalama puanlarının, kontrol grubundan daha düşük olduğu görülmüştür.
Tartışma: Çalışmanın sonuçları, kekemeliği olan çocuklarda fonolojik bellek ve fonolojik kodlama süreçlerinde farklılıklar olabileceğini düşündürmektedir. Ek olarak, kekemeliği olan çocukların görsel bellek alt test skorlarının istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olmamakla birlikte kontrol grubundan daha yüksek olması, bu durumun telafi edici bir mekanizma olabileceği savını destekler niteliktedir.
Sonuç, Sınırlılıklar ve Öneriler: Gelecek çalışmalarda daha fazla sayıda ve daha geniş bir yaş dağılımı olan katılımcıya ulaşarak, farklı davranışsal ölçüm araçları ve beyin görüntüleme tekniklerinin birlikte kullanıldığı boylamsal yöntemlerin bu konunun aydınlatılmasına katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Anlamsız sözcük tekrarı, fonolojik kodlama, fonolojik bellek, kekemelik, sözel bellek, görsel bellek, çalışma belleği

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