Center for Memory & Learning in the Lifespan, Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
Dev Med Child Neurol. 2010 Jul;52(7):632-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2009.03603.x. Epub 2010 Feb 12.
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether behaviours typical of working memory problems are associated with poor academic attainment in those with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as a non-clinical group identified on the basis of working memory difficulties.
Children clinically diagnosed with ADHD-combined (n=31; mean age 9y 7mo, SD 12mo; 27 males) were matched with 44 low working memory children (mean age 9y 4mo, SD 15mo; 32 males) and 10 healthy controls (mean age 10y, SD 12mo; 5 males). Working memory behaviour was measured using the Working Memory Rating Scale (WMRS) and academic attainment was assessed with standardized tests of literacy and numeracy.
The majority of children considered by their teachers to have problematic behaviours performed poorly in literacy and numeracy. When the whole sample were split into two groups on the basis of their working memory behaviour (on the WMRS), the 'At Risk' group performed significantly worse in academic attainment.
As children with ADHD and a non-clinical group exhibit classroom behaviour typical of working memory problems, early screening to prevent subsequent learning difficulties is important. The use of the WMRS allows educators to draw on their expertise in the classroom for early detection of children with working memory failures.
本研究旨在探究注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）患者及基于工作记忆困难而确定的非临床组中，那些表现出工作记忆问题行为的个体是否与学业成绩不佳有关。
对 31 名符合 ADHD-混合型临床诊断的儿童（平均年龄 9 岁 7 个月，标准差 12 个月；男性 27 名）进行匹配，共纳入 44 名低工作记忆儿童（平均年龄 9 岁 4 个月，标准差 15 个月；男性 32 名）和 10 名健康对照组（平均年龄 10 岁，标准差 12 个月；男性 5 名）。采用工作记忆评分量表（WMRS）测量工作记忆行为，使用标准化读写和计算测试评估学业成绩。
大多数被教师认为行为有问题的儿童在读写和计算方面表现不佳。当根据工作记忆行为（WMRS）将整个样本分为两组时，“有风险”组在学业成绩上表现明显较差。
ADHD 儿童和非临床组都表现出课堂行为与工作记忆问题有关，因此早期筛查以预防后续学习困难很重要。WMRS 的使用使教育工作者能够利用其课堂专业知识来早期发现工作记忆失败的儿童。
