[Verbal and visual-spatial memory in Chinese children with developmental dyslexia].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the abilities of verbal and visual-spatial memory in Chinese children with developmental dyslexia. METHODS: Thirty-two children with developmental dyslexia (aged 8-12 years) and thirty-nine age- and gender-matched normal children were involved in the study. Their verbal short-term and verbal working memories were measured using the digit ordering and the digit span tests, respectively. Their visual-spatial short-term and visual-spatial working memories were examined using the forward and backward block-tapping tests, respectively. RESULTS: The DD children scored lower in the digit ordering and the digit span tests than the control children (P<0.05). The scores for the forward and backward block-tapping tests did not vary between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The children with DD have the deficits in both verbal short-term memory and verbal working memory.