Assessment of Executive functions and clinical practice for children with learning difficulties
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science:Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Date (from‐to) : 2014/04 -2017/03
Author : ERA Shukichi; OKANE Yoshiko; YOSHIMATSU Yoshiko; HARADA Mari
This study aimed to develop the assessment of executive functions and the assessment-based intervention methods for children with learning difficulties. In experimental study, we investigated the cognitive functions underlying the Verbal Fluency Test and Trail Making Test, by behavioral index and physiological index by near-infrared spectroscopy. On each task performance, the significant enhancement of prefrontal activity was observed. Behind the phenomenon of rapid reduction of retrieval efficiency on the Verbal Fluency Test, we suggest the possibility that executive functions contribute the releasing retrieval inhibition on the long-term memory scanning. In practical study, we had several individualized instructions for the students with learning difficulties, such as ‘Using concept mapping method to enhance lexical and categorical knowledge for an early-elementary-school child with poor simultaneous processing.’ The effects of instruction methods were practically verified.