Working Memory in Bilingual and Monolingual Children with ADHA

Working Memory in Bilingual and Monolingual Children with ADHA

The Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Editon (WISC-IV) is an evaluative tool used in the clinical setting to assess the intellectual functioning of children. The WISC-IV can be used to provide a generalized intelligence score or to assess specific cognitive areas, including working memory. Working memory, also defined as short term memory, is the ability to maintain conscious awareness of information for the purpose of manipulating it to produce a result, Research has shown a direct correlation between working memory and the cognitive processes related to achievement and learning such as fluid reasoning. Children who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often exhibit a deficiency in working memory function, which may be most noticeable as inconsistencies in learning and achievement when compared with their peers. The frontal lobe is the area of the brain most associated with working memory. This area of the brain is also correlated with language ability. Research has evidenced that bilinguals, individuals who are able to fluently speak two languages, have improved frontal lobe functioning. Archival data were obtained from a local clinic providing services to families from an underserved area. The data collected will be analyzed to determine whether bilingual children diagnosed with ADHD exhibit a bilingual advantage compared to monolingual children based on the relationship established between working memory, bilingualism, and ADHD.