Longitudinal Analysis of the Cognitive Profile of Children With SLD
Sara Monaro, Francesca Anderle, Veronica Tranquillini, Paola Venuti, Simona De Falco
Monitoring the evolution of the cognitive profile in children with specific learning disorders (SLD) is crucial during school transitions. Although this profile is generally considered relatively stable, recent evidence suggests possible variations related to the severity of the disorder. The present study aims to examine the stability of the cognitive profile in 48 children with SLD and to investigate the influence of disorder severity on reading and writing skills. The results indicate a substantial continuity of both general and specific cognitive abilities over approximately four years, confirming that the cognitive profile is relatively stable across time. Moreover, the results highlight that the difference between children with moderate severity and those with mild severity widens over time, involving a greater number of cognitive domains. Some subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) emerged as significant predictors of academic achievement: Digit Span was positively associated with accuracy in reading and writing, and Symbol Search with reading accuracy. Also, in mild cases, higher processing speed was linked to an increase in reading errors. These findings confirm the value of the cognitive profile as a diagnostic tool and highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and early, targeted interventions that integrate the enhancement of learning skills with that of executive functions.
Keywords
SLD, Cognitive Profile, Reading and Writing, Executive Functions, Severity.