Download This work investigates the role of workingmemory in the understanding of complex morphosyntactic structures in developmental age, with particular reference to relative clauses. Morphosyntactic understanding represents a fundamental skill for linguistic development and for scholastic learning, and is frequently compromised in children with Primary Language Impairment (PLI)The literature highlights how this ability is closely connected to cognitive resources, particularly working memory, which is involved in maintaining and manipulating linguistic information during sentence processing.
The study was conducted on a sample of 17 typically developing children, aged between 5 and 6 years, attending the first year of primary school. Participants were administered standardized instruments for assessing language skills and working memory, including the CLAD-ITA GAPS, some battery tests VAUMeLF (non-word repetition and digit memory) and the Test of Understanding of Relative Structures (T-Rel).
Descriptive analyses reveal some interindividual variability in linguistic and memory performance. Inferential analyses, conducted using nonparametric correlations, show the absence of statistically significant associations between measures of short-term phonological memory (nonword repetition and digit memory) and the comprehension of complex syntactic structures. Conversely, a marginally significant relationship emerges between the sentence repetition task and morphosyntactic comprehension, suggesting a more significant role for tasks requiring the simultaneous integration of linguistic and memory resources.
The results support the hypothesis that not all components of the workingmemory contribute equally to language comprehension, highlighting the centrality of sentence repetition tasks as sensitive indicators of morphosyntactic skills.
This evidence is particularly relevant in the clinical setting, offering useful indications for the evaluation and early identification of linguistic difficulties in developmental age.