Executive function in children with signs of specific learning disorders

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the executive functions (EFs) of children with decoding, reading comprehension, spelling, and calculation deficits to those of typically developing (TD) children, to delineate specific EF profiles for each group. From an initial sample of 932 children, aged 7–13 years, 93 children with deficits in learning tasks that resemble those of Specific Learning Disorders (signs of Specific Learning Disorders, sSLD) and 28 TD children were studied. EFs were assessed through both performance-based tests and questionnaires completed by parents and teachers, on which ANOVAs, correlation analyses and factorial analyses were performed. The results revealed distinct cognitive and behavioral EF profiles for the sSLD groups. Children with decoding deficits exhibited difficulties in interference control, but faster responses in cognitive flexibility tasks, alongside broader challenges in cognitive self-regulation, organization and initiative. Those with reading comprehension deficits showed significant impairments in working memory (WM) and planning related skills, with no behavioral impact. Children with calculation deficits mainly displayed poor WM and interference control skills, with parents and teachers reporting difficulties in cognitive self-regulation and control, organization, initiative and material management. Finally, the results on the spelling deficits group did not permit to define a specific cognitive and behavioral profile. The findings contribute to define the functional variability of children with learning deficits, underscoring the importance of addressing the specific EF profile and its impact on both academic tasks and daily organization.