جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « دستور زبان » در نشریات گروه « پزشکی »

 Procedural memory is a key component of long-term memory that can be assessed in different modalities, such as verbal and motor. Learning through procedural memory occurs in three stages: initial learning, consolidation, and retention. Several tasks evaluate procedural memory, but none have concurrently studied procedural learning in various modalities and learning stages. Besides, according to the declarative-procedural model, there may be an association between the performance of individuals in procedural learning and their state of the grammar of a language. Therefore, this study aimed to design a Serial Search Task (SST) for the simultaneous evaluation of procedural memory in motor and verbal modalities during three stages of learning and determine its reliability. Moreover, the relationship between procedural memory and grammar skills was examined.

 This study is methodological research in the first stage and descriptive analytics in the second stage. First, based on the literature review and the opinions of three speech-language pathologists, some words with appropriate psycholinguistic features were chosen from the Persian picture naming set. Then, corresponding pictures were determined. The task was designed using Java programming language. The face validity of the task was evaluated, then after revisions, the reliability was determined. Face validity was assessed in 10 normal children, and the test-retest reliability was evaluated in 15 normal children aged 7-9 years; all of them were chosen using the convenience sampling method. In the second stage, to assess the relationship between grammatical skills and the SST, 20 normal children aged 7-9 years were selected by a mixed sampling method. Every child had exposed to a verbal modality in three stages: initial learning, consolidation (24 hours later), and retention (one week later). Then the same stages were performed in the motor modality. Each child's language skills were determined using the test of language development-primary (TOLD-P3), and the relationship between the two skills was determined. Statistical methods included the Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients and repeated measures analysis of variance.

The correlation values between two performances in the initial learning stage for the reaction time variable in verbal (r=0.84, P<0.001) and motor (r=0.80, P˂0.001) modalities and the variable of response accuracy in verbal (r=0.81, P=0.011) and motor (r=0.77, P=0.026) modalities were obtained. In the consolidation and retention stages, the correlation values for the reaction time variable in verbal (r=0.737, P=0.002) and motor (r=0.743, P=0.001) modalities and the variable of response accuracy in verbal (r=0.624, P=0.013) and motor (r=0.916, P<0.001) modalities were obtained. The relationship between grammar and procedural learning in the verbal modality was significant in the consolidation stage (P=0.045, CI:0.016-0.797, r=0.491).

SST is a reliable task to assess different stages of procedural memory in both verbal and motor modalities. Therefore, this task can be used to evaluate procedural memory in normal children aged 7-9 years. The current study's findings confirmed the predictions made by the declarative-procedural model during the consolidation stage in the verbal modality.

Nowadays, there is an increasing interest in investigating the relation between language and theory of mind in children with autism. However, until now the nature of this relation is not fully understood, because findings of such an investigation in these children have been inconclusive, and even less is known about the direction of effect and the most effective component of language on theory of mind. The present study examined the relation between expressive grammar and theory of mind in 10 Persian children with high functioning autism between ages 6 to 9 years and 20 typically developing controls.
In this study, research data were collected from 10 children with autism and 20 normal children (10 age-matched and 10 language-matched). Initially, we used screening and diagnosing test for diagnosing children with high-functioning autism. Then, expression of different structures of syntax and their ability in theory of mind were respectively assessed by using expressive grammar and theory of mind tests. Finally, data were analyzed with correlation tests using SPSS statistical software.
Our results showed that in language-matched group, significant correlation was found between total score of correct structure and correct tasks, and third level of theory of mind. However, in children with autism and age-matched normal children; no significant correlation was observed. For depth understanding of this relation in children with autism, we compared this relation in specific structures and found that there is a significant correlation between expression of adverbial relative clause and personal ending, and second level of theory of mind and total score of theory of mind.
Therefore, for analyzing the relation between language and theory of mind in children with autism, it is necessary to compare different structures separately, and in cognitive therapy (treatment for improving the theory of mind), we should pay attention to grammatical structures such as relative clause and personal ending.

valid identification, prevention, and treatment of language disorders are a high priority for the speech and language professionals. One method for studying language development is sentence repetition that is faster to implement and analysis than other procedures. The aim of this project was constructing sentence repetition test as a quick measure of grammatical potency in 2.5 to 4 year old children. Sentences appropriate for 2.5 to 4 year old children were selected during several stages by speech and language pathologist and linguists. The validity of sentences was assessed by professional masters in this theme. Subsequently, 41 sentences including those with 80% high validity were selected as the test sentences. Appropriate pictures were also provided with sentences. The test was administrated to 72 children in 3 groups (2.5-3, 3-3.5, and 3.5-4 year olds, gender matched). The reliability was administered with a test-retest design across a 2 weeks interval. Content validity Index for this test was 80%. "Test-retest reliability” was used for reliability of this test. The Interclass correlation coefficient for this test was 0.95 and standard error measurement was 7.45. The average of scores for sentence repetition, between groups was significant (p<0.001, p<0.001, p= 0.014). This sentence repetition test has the appropriate validity and reliability as well as the capability of proper and quick assessment (screening) of grammatical development in 2.5 to 4 year old Persian speaking children.