Children's verbal working memory: Relative importance of storage, general processing speed, and domain-general controlled attention

This study evaluated multiple constraints of verbal working memory in typically developing 7- to 11-year-olds. Multiple measures of verbal working memory and the predictors—short-term memory storage, general speed, and domain-general controlled attention were used. General linear modeling (GLM) showed that storage and the efficiency of controlled attention (i.e., speed of updating information during attention switching) contributed to significant variance in children's verbal working memory. In a secondary analysis verbal storage and domain-general attention (focus switching accuracy and speed of updating on switch) emerged as significant predictors. Results suggest domain-general attention and verbal storage mechanisms to be independent constraints of verbal working memory.

► We evaluated multiple verbal working memory (VWM) constraints in children. ► Controlling for age, storage and attention switching correlated with VWM. ► Verbal storage, switching accuracy and speed, contributed unique variance to VWM. ► Results support domain-general attention and verbal storage mechanisms in VWM.