Is digit span a predictor of attention and executive function?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Is digit span a predictor of attention and executive function in patients with brain injury? Implications for working memory training
IRAS ID
160322
Contact name
Sarah Davison
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Research summary
The present study aims to investigate whether digit span performance (number of digits immediately recalled) is associated with performance on neuropsychological measures of high order cognitions i.e. attention and executive functioning, in a sample of patients who have sustained a brain injury. Furthermore, the proposed investigations have implications for working memory training, they will allow us to investigate whether specifically training the working memory span of patients with brain injury could facilitate improvements in other high order cognitions, transfer effects that are proposed in the working memory training literature.
To achieve the study aims we will access an anonymous, pre-collected database containing the neuropsychological test scores of patients referred to and assessed in a specialist Neuropsychology service. Using a regression analysis we will examine whether the digit span performance of patients correlates with and/or predicts their performance on neuropsychological measures of attention and executive functioning.
However, research evidence suggests that forward digit span (immediately recalling digits in the same order) is representative of short-term memory functioning, whilst backward digit span (immediately recalling digits in reverse order) is representative of working memory capacity. Consequently, the present study will also investigate whether the forward and backward digit span performances of patients with brain injury similarly or differentially correlate with and/or predict their attention and executive functioning performance.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NE/1094
Date of REC Opinion
1 Aug 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion