Standardizing the working-memory rating scale (WMRS) among 5-11 year-old children in the city of Ilam

The working-memory rating scale (WMRS) is a behavioral rating scale developed for educators to facilitate easy identification of children with working memory deficits. Working memory is the theoretical construct used in cognitive psychology and recently cognitive neuroscience to refer to the system or mechanism underlying the maintenance of task-related information during the performance of a cognitive task. The current research attempted to standardize this scale in 5-11year old children. WMRS was the instrument used in our study. This tool comprised 20 items، each on a four-point scale، ranging from zero to 3. Random clustered sampling method was used to enroll 320 children (5-11 year old) across the city of Ilam. Internal consistency and Cronbach''s alpha were used to assess the reliability of the scale، and correlation coefficients of Wechsler memory scale، math and reading subjects with working memory scale were computed for validation of the scale. Descriptive and inference statistical methods were used and data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Our findings showed a significant relationship between the scale items and the total score. Likewise، the correlations among items were significant. All correlation coefficients were significant at the level of 0. 001. Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient and split–scale reliability were 0. 77 and 0. 88، respectively. Our results suggested a significant positive correlation between math/reading subjects scores and working memory scale scores (p<0. 001). Further findings revealed a significant relationship between scale items and the total score with Wechsler memory scale (p<0. 001). The T score and percentile values were also presented. working memory rating scale is a useful tool to diagnose children suffering from working memory deficiencies. Working memory dysfunctions may efficiently be rectified where specific trainings and classroom activities are prescribed.