Investigating the Working Memory Performance in Students with and Without Nonverbal Learning Disability

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to compare executive functions, organizing, and planning in children with and without nonverbal learning disability (nld). The statistical population was students with nld from all elemen- tary schools in ilam city during the 2013-14 school year. 10 students with nld and 10 students without nld were selected from this society and they answered to both the picture arrangement subtest of wechsler intelligence scale for children and rey complex figure tests. In addition, the students with nld answered to the goldstein's non- verbal learning disabilities scale by the help of their parents. The data were analyzed by indexes and statistical methods include frequency, mean, standard deviation, and independent-samples t-test. The result showed that there was a significant difference between executive functions of children with nld and without nld at the p<0.01 level. Also, between working memory of children with and without nld was a significant difference at the level p<0.01. Finally, there was a significant difference between children's organizing and planning with and without nld at level p<0.01.