ERIC Number: EJ1131835
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Feb
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1092-4388
EISSN: N/A
Executive Function in Preschoolers with Primary Language Impairment
Yang, Hui-Chun; Gray, Shelley
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, v60 n2 p379-392 Feb 2017
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether preschoolers with primary language impairment (PLI) show deficits in executive function (EF) compared with their peers with typical development (TD) when inhibition, updating, and mental-set shifting are examined using both linguistically based and visually based tasks. Method: Twenty-two 4- and 5-year-old preschoolers with PLI and 30 preschoolers with TD completed 2 sets of computerized EF tasks: 3 that were linguistically based and 3 that were visually based. This permitted us to test the hypothesis that poor performance on EF tasks in preschoolers with PLI results from impaired language rather than impaired EF. Results: The PLI group scored significantly lower than the TD group on linguistically and visually based updating tasks and mental-set shifting tasks. The PLI and TD groups did not differ significantly for accuracy or response time on linguistically and visually based inhibition tasks. Conclusion: Results suggest that preschool-age children with PLI have domain-general EF deficits in updating and mental-set shifting but not inhibition deficits, as measured by our tasks.
Descriptors: Executive Function, Preschool Children, Language Impairments, Comparative Analysis, Inhibition, Cognitive Processes, Visual Stimuli, Accuracy, Reaction Time
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A