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Long‐Term Episodic Memory in Children with Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Author(s) -
Skowronek Jeffrey S.,
Leichtman Michelle D.,
Pillemer David B.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
learning disabilities research and practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.018
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1540-5826
pISSN - 0938-8982
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-5826.2007.00260.x
Subject(s) - psychology , working memory , episodic memory , spelling , memory span , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , semantic memory , short term memory , cognitive psychology , task (project management) , childhood memory , developmental psychology , long term memory , cognition , clinical psychology , psychiatry , linguistics , philosophy , management , economics
Twenty‐nine grade‐matched 4th–8th‐grade males, 12 with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (age M = 12.2 years, SD = 1.48), and 17 without (age M = 11.5, SD = 1.59), completed two working memory tasks (digit span and the Simon game) and three long‐term episodic memory tasks (a personal event memory task, story memory task, and picture recognition task). In line with clinical observations, children with ADHD performed worse than peers on all working memory tasks, but performed as well as or better than peers on long‐term episodic tasks, demonstrating particularly detailed memory for personally experienced past events. Participants' parents also completed questionnaires about their children's memories in daily life. Parents rated children with ADHD lower than children without ADHD on working and semantic memory (e.g., remembering names, spelling, and math), but rated them as high or higher on memory for events. Implications for theory and educational practice are discussed.