A Nieto1, I Galtier, J Barroso, G Espinosa. 1. Facultad de Psicología, Uniidad de Neuropsicología Clínica, Universidadde la Laguna, San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Tenerife, España.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Verbal fluency tasks are highly sensitive to the presence of brain pathology. The use of verbal fluency tasks in paediatric clinical neuropsychology requires knowing how the execution progresses across age. Developmental changes in children's verbal fluency were explored in this study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Participants were 79 school-aged children divided into three age groups. Phonemic (FAM) and semantic (animals) fluency task were administered. Three scores were obtained for qualitative analyses: number of clusters, switches and mean cluster size. RESULTS: Children in older groups generated more words in phonemic fluency than children in 6-7 years group. In semantic fluency differences were significant only between the 10-11 years group and the youngest group. In both tasks year-group effects were found in number of clusters and number of switches. High positive correlations were found between total production and number of cluster and number of switches. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the development of the capability to generate words is related to the maturation of frontal component of the task. That means, that it is related to development of a greater cognitive flexibility that allows more efficient strategic search processes. Data obtained, although preliminary, may be useful to evaluate the executive functions in Spanish speaking paediatric population.
INTRODUCTION: Verbal fluency tasks are highly sensitive to the presence of brain pathology. The use of verbal fluency tasks in paediatric clinical neuropsychology requires knowing how the execution progresses across age. Developmental changes in children's verbal fluency were explored in this study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Participants were 79 school-aged children divided into three age groups. Phonemic (FAM) and semantic (animals) fluency task were administered. Three scores were obtained for qualitative analyses: number of clusters, switches and mean cluster size. RESULTS:Children in older groups generated more words in phonemic fluency than children in 6-7 years group. In semantic fluency differences were significant only between the 10-11 years group and the youngest group. In both tasks year-group effects were found in number of clusters and number of switches. High positive correlations were found between total production and number of cluster and number of switches. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the development of the capability to generate words is related to the maturation of frontal component of the task. That means, that it is related to development of a greater cognitive flexibility that allows more efficient strategic search processes. Data obtained, although preliminary, may be useful to evaluate the executive functions in Spanish speaking paediatric population.
Authors: Dolores Villalobos; Lucia Torres-Simón; Javier Pacios; Nuria Paúl; David Del Río Journal: Neuropsychol Rev Date: 2022-09-13 Impact factor: 6.940
Authors: Izabel Hazin; Gilmara Leite; Rosinda M Oliveira; João C Alencar; Helenice C Fichman; Priscila D N Marques; Claudia Berlim de Mello Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2016-05-10