Assessment of Executive functions and clinical practice for children with learning difficulties

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26381325
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Special needs education
• Research Institution: Kagawa University
• Principal Investigator: ERA Shukichi 香川大学, 教育学部, 教授 (70251866)
• Research Collaborator: OKANE Yoshiko ; YOSHIMATSU Yoshiko ; HARADA Mari
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 実行機能 / 学習困難 / 近赤外分光法 / 語想起課題 / 心理アセスメント / 特別支援教育

Outline of Final Research Achievements

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.

Free Research Field

発達障害児の認知機能に関する神経心理学的評価