Comparison of Working and Visual Memory in Children with and Without Dyslexia

This study aimed at comparing working and visual memory in children with and without dyslexia. The sample consisted of 61 children without dyslexia and 64 children with dyslexia from third to sixth grade in elementary school. The inclusion criteria were children aged nine to 12 who had no history of medical eye disease and visual impairment, the exclusion criteria were mentally retarded children. Purposeful sampling was used to collect the data. The participants completed Wechsler forward and backward digit span test and Benton Visual Test. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to analyze the data. Results showed that there was a significant difference between normal children and those with dyslexia regarding their direct memory (F = 25.34, P < 0.001, partial eta square = 0.18), backward memory (F = 30.78, P < 0.001, partial eta square = 0.21), and Benton Visual Retention (F = 17.56, P < 0.001, partial eta square = 0.13). The performance of children with dyslexia was weaker than those without dyslexia in regards to their working and visual memory. The highest level of impairment was seen in backward, direct, and visual memory, respectively, in children with dyslexia. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings will be discussed