Executive functioning in children with specific language impairment

• Published in: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry 2012-01, Vol.53 (1), p.37-45
• Main Authors: Henry, Lucy A., Messer, David J., Nash, Gilly
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child psychology; Children; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Executive Function; executive functioning; Female; Humans; Inhibition (Psychology); Intelligence; Intelligence Quotient; Language disorders; Language Disorders - psychology; Language Impairments; Language Tests - statistics & numerical data; London; Male; Medical sciences; Memory; Memory, Short-Term; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data; nonverbal IQ; Regression (Statistics); Short Term Memory; Specific language impairment; Task performance; Thinking Skills; Verbal Ability; verbal IQ
• ISSN: 0021-9630; 1469-7610
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02430.x

Background:  A limited range of evidence suggests that children with specific language impairment (SLI) have difficulties with higher order thinking and reasoning skills (executive functioning, EF). This study involved a comprehensive investigation of EF in this population taking into account the contributions of age, nonverbal IQ and verbal ability. Methods:  Ten separate measures of EF were assessed in 160 children: 41 had SLI; 31 had low language/cognitive functioning but did not fulfil the criteria for SLI (low language functioning or LLF); and 88 were typically developing with no language difficulties. Group differences in performance were assessed after controlling for age, nonverbal IQ and verbal ability in a series of regression analyses. Results:  Children with SLI and LLF had significantly lower performance than typical children on 6 of the 10 EF tasks once age and nonverbal IQ had been controlled (verbal and nonverbal executive‐loaded working memory, verbal and nonverbal fluency, nonverbal inhibition and nonverbal planning). Performance on these EF tasks remained lower for those in the SLI group even when verbal IQ was entered in the regressions. Conclusions:  Children with language impairments showed marked difficulties on a range of EF tasks. These difficulties were present even when adjustments were made for their verbal abilities.