The Role of Working Memory on Dual-Task Cost During Walking Performance in Childhood
This study examined the effect of a secondary motor task on walking ability, whether performance differed according to age and the possible relationship between cognitive abilities, specifically working memory, and dual-task costs in children with typical development. Fifty-three female children (me...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-07-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01754/full |
| _version_ | 1818614920009220096 |
|---|---|
| author | Emanuela Rabaglietti Aurelia De Lorenzo Paolo Riccardo Brustio |
| author_facet | Emanuela Rabaglietti Aurelia De Lorenzo Paolo Riccardo Brustio |
| author_sort | Emanuela Rabaglietti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examined the effect of a secondary motor task on walking ability, whether performance differed according to age and the possible relationship between cognitive abilities, specifically working memory, and dual-task costs in children with typical development. Fifty-three female children (mean age M = 10 ± 2 years), were divided into two different age groups: a young (7–9 years; n = 17) and an older group (10–13 years; n = 36). First, participants performed a Walking Test (WT) without additional tasks; afterward, they performed the same walking test while performing each of the following tasks: carrying (1) a glass of water, (2) a ball on a round tray and (3) the combination of both tasks (1) and (2). The Test of Memory and Learning were used to assess working memory. WTs under a dual-task condition generally produced worse results compared to a single-task condition [F(3,135) = 32.480, p < 0.001]. No age-related difference was observed [F(1,45) = 0.497, p = 0.485]. Age, digit forward and backward, facial memory, and paired recall accounted altogether for 28.6% of variance in dual-task ability during WT while carrying a glass of water and a ball on a round tray. Specifically, facial memory significantly accounted for the variance of DTC in WTWT (β = −0.381, p = 0.016). Moreover, a trend toward a statistical significance was observed for digit forward (β = −0.275, p = 0.085). Results underlined that regardless of the age, a dual-task performance might affect walking performance depending on the required secondary task. Moreover, our results showed the association between working memory skills and dual-task cost in walking ability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:25:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-227c63fe21334e79a220c8d601862a37 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:25:40Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-227c63fe21334e79a220c8d601862a372022-12-21T22:24:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782019-07-011010.3389/fpsyg.2019.01754458021The Role of Working Memory on Dual-Task Cost During Walking Performance in ChildhoodEmanuela Rabaglietti0Aurelia De Lorenzo1Paolo Riccardo Brustio2Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, ItalyNeuroMuscularFunction Research Group, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, ItalyThis study examined the effect of a secondary motor task on walking ability, whether performance differed according to age and the possible relationship between cognitive abilities, specifically working memory, and dual-task costs in children with typical development. Fifty-three female children (mean age M = 10 ± 2 years), were divided into two different age groups: a young (7–9 years; n = 17) and an older group (10–13 years; n = 36). First, participants performed a Walking Test (WT) without additional tasks; afterward, they performed the same walking test while performing each of the following tasks: carrying (1) a glass of water, (2) a ball on a round tray and (3) the combination of both tasks (1) and (2). The Test of Memory and Learning were used to assess working memory. WTs under a dual-task condition generally produced worse results compared to a single-task condition [F(3,135) = 32.480, p < 0.001]. No age-related difference was observed [F(1,45) = 0.497, p = 0.485]. Age, digit forward and backward, facial memory, and paired recall accounted altogether for 28.6% of variance in dual-task ability during WT while carrying a glass of water and a ball on a round tray. Specifically, facial memory significantly accounted for the variance of DTC in WTWT (β = −0.381, p = 0.016). Moreover, a trend toward a statistical significance was observed for digit forward (β = −0.275, p = 0.085). Results underlined that regardless of the age, a dual-task performance might affect walking performance depending on the required secondary task. Moreover, our results showed the association between working memory skills and dual-task cost in walking ability.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01754/fullcognitive abilitiesmotor developmentschool agedual-task activitywalking |
| spellingShingle | Emanuela Rabaglietti Aurelia De Lorenzo Paolo Riccardo Brustio The Role of Working Memory on Dual-Task Cost During Walking Performance in Childhood Frontiers in Psychology cognitive abilities motor development school age dual-task activity walking |
| title | The Role of Working Memory on Dual-Task Cost During Walking Performance in Childhood |
| title_full | The Role of Working Memory on Dual-Task Cost During Walking Performance in Childhood |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Working Memory on Dual-Task Cost During Walking Performance in Childhood |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Working Memory on Dual-Task Cost During Walking Performance in Childhood |
| title_short | The Role of Working Memory on Dual-Task Cost During Walking Performance in Childhood |
| title_sort | role of working memory on dual task cost during walking performance in childhood |
| topic | cognitive abilities motor development school age dual-task activity walking |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01754/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emanuelarabaglietti theroleofworkingmemoryondualtaskcostduringwalkingperformanceinchildhood AT aureliadelorenzo theroleofworkingmemoryondualtaskcostduringwalkingperformanceinchildhood AT paoloriccardobrustio theroleofworkingmemoryondualtaskcostduringwalkingperformanceinchildhood AT emanuelarabaglietti roleofworkingmemoryondualtaskcostduringwalkingperformanceinchildhood AT aureliadelorenzo roleofworkingmemoryondualtaskcostduringwalkingperformanceinchildhood AT paoloriccardobrustio roleofworkingmemoryondualtaskcostduringwalkingperformanceinchildhood |