Working memory and discourse production abilities following closed-head injury

Abstract

Primary objectives: This study investigated the relationship between working memory (WM) and narrative discourse production in individuals with closed head injury (CHI). It was hypothesized that those individuals with higher performance on tests of WM would demonstrate better performance on measures of discourse production. Research design: Correlation coefficients were calculated among five discourse measures from two story narratives and scores from three sub-tests of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS). Methods and procedures: Fifty-five individuals with moderate-to-severe CHI were studied. Participants included 16 females and 39 males ranging in age from 16–69. Narrative discourse samples were elicited from all participants under two conditions: story retelling and story generation. Main outcomes and results: The results revealed a number of modest, significant correlations (r = 0.29–0.39, p < 0.05) between sub-tests of the WMS and measures of discourse production. Conclusions: Results supported the hypothesis. Story elicitation task differences, limitations of using simple memory span tests as indices of WM and clinical implications of the relationship between WM and discourse production are discussed.

• Working memory
• discourse production
• closed-head injury