Abstract

Both verbal and visuospatial working memory adding to selective attention, have been examined in two groups (Mean age = 12.59 years old). One of the two groups displaying math learning disabilities (n=36), this group acts as an experimental group, and the other group without learning disabilities acts as a control group (n=36), the two groups were matched for age and IQ. The two groups presented with complex span tasks to assess working memory capacity (WMC), operation span task (OSPAN) used to assess verbal working memory capacity, symmetry span task used to assess visuospatial working memory capacity; the two previous tasks administrated automatically by using computers. Selective attention assessed in the two groups by using colored square task (CST) that used for assessing visual selective attention and it administrated automatically. Results revealed that performance of children with MLD was lower than control group (typically achieving children) in both verbal and visuospatial working memory, moreover, the two groups differed in the number of correct responses (accuracy) in visual selective attention for typically achieved children, but there is no significant difference between them in response time (speed).

Key words: Working memory, working memory capacity, complex span tasks, selective attention, and mathematics learning disabilities.