Nonword repetition: the relative contributions of phonological short-term memory and phonological representations in children with language and reading impairment.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigates the relative contributions of phonological short-term memory and phonological representations to nonword repetition (NWR). This was evaluated in children with specific language impairment (SLI) and/or reading impairment (RI); it was also studied from a developmental perspective by comparing 2 groups of typically developing (TD) children who differed in age.


METHODS
NWR, digit span, vocabulary, and word and nonword discrimination were tested in 2 groups of TD children: one group matched on chronological age (CA TD group: n = 41, mean age = 7;8 [months;years]), and one language age-matched control group (LA TD group: n = 16, mean age = 5;8). Also, 10 children with SLI, 14 children with RI, and 23 children with SLI and RI (hereafter, SLI + RI) participated and were matched to the age of the CA TD group.


RESULTS
For the TD children, NWR was predicted by discrimination, digit span, and age. The interaction between discrimination ability and age was also significant. Children with SLI + RI were significantly impaired on NWR compared with all other groups. A regression analysis, including the CA TD group and the children with SLI and/or RI, showed that digit span, discrimination ability, and group (SLI + RI) contributed significantly to NWR.


CONCLUSIONS
Phonological short-term memory and phonological representations both significantly contribute to NWR. The predictive strength of the quality of phonological representations changes during development.
aUniversity of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication. J.E.Rispens@uva.nl
Judith
J
Rispens
Anne
A
Baker
D002648:Child; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D010700:Phonetics; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011932:Reading; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*