Phonological processing in students with developmental dyslexia, ADHD and intellectual disability

Abstract

Corresponding address: Ana Beatriz Leite dos Anjos Rua Coronel Auris Coelho, 897, Nova Descoberta 59075-400 – Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil E-mail:[email protected] ABSTRACT Purpose: to compare the performance of students with dyslexia, intellectual disability and ADHD on the skills of phonological awareness, phonological access to the mental lexicon, and phonological working memory. Methods: this is a descriptive, cross sectional and quantitative study. The sample was composed of 32 students, divided into the following groups: G1 – students with dyslexia; G2 – students with ADHD; G3 – students with intellectual disability. The children were assessed on their skills of phonological awareness, phonological working memory, and phonological access to the mental lexicon. A descriptive and inferential analysis was made, using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: statistically significant differences were observed among the three groups on the phonological working memory skills for pseudowords, forward digit repetition, and backward digit repetition; phonological awareness on syllable level, phoneme level, test total score, and digits subtest of the rapid automatized naming test. Through the descriptive analysis, it was observed that G1 had the best results on all the skills assessed, followed by G2 and G3. Conclusion: differences were found on the skills of phonological working memory and phonological awareness among the groups of students presented with dyslexia, ADHD and intellectual disability.