The relationship between narrative comprehension, working memory and vocabulary in Uruguayan 4- to 8-year-old children: A longitudinal study

Abstract

Narrative comprehension in young children is influenced by receptive vocabulary, working memory, inference skills, executive control, and attention functions. Most previous studies have analysed different aspects of these associations using cross-sectional correlational analyses. In this study, we conducted a longitudinal evaluation of the relationship between memory, vocabulary, and narrative comprehension skills in a sample of 4 to 8-year-old children. Method: Comprehension was assessed by evaluating 120 Uruguayan children’s abilities to retrieve structural categories during storytelling and their performance on comprehension questions. To capture longitudinal data while controlling for individual variability, linear mixed-effects (LME) analyses were conducted to examine the effects of time, age, memory abilities, and receptive vocabulary on comprehension. Results: The data revealed progress in the development of comprehension, memory, and receptive vocabulary skills. The results of the LME analyses revealed significant fixed effects of vocabulary, working memory, and time, which varied depending on the comprehension task. Conclusion: Receptive vocabulary appears to play a strong role in comprehension, particularly in performance on comprehension questions. Working memory (but not short-term memory) seems to play a more relevant role when comprehension measures involve retelling of the story.