Povezanost izvršnih funkcija s jezikom u odrasloj dobi

master's thesis

• Title (english): The relation between executive functions and language in adult age
• Author: Paula Krilčić
• Mentor: Sanja Šimleša (mentor)
• Mentor: Jelena Kuvač Kraljević (mentor)
• Committee member: Sanja Šimleša (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Jelena Kuvač Kraljević (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Gordana Hržica (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2017-06-13, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Speech Therapy

Abstract

Brojna istraţivanja izvršnih funkcija govore u prilog postojanju povezanosti s jezikom. Ipak, zbog njihove sloţenosti, točna priroda te veze još uvijek nije poznata. Većina dosadašnjih istraţivanja se temelji na proučavanju dječje dobi ili specifičnih populacija. S obzirom da su i jezik i izvršne funkcije vrlo promjenjivi i na dob osjetljivi konstrukti, za produbljenje spoznaje o dinamici njihovog odnosa nuţno je istraţivanja proširiti i na odraslu dob. U skladu s time, cilj ovog istraţivanja bio je ispitati povezanost pojedinih sastavnica izvršnih funkcija s jezičnim razumijevanjem u odrasloj dobi. Sudionici su bili odrasle osobe (N=30) u dobi izmeĎu 21 i 37 godina. Izvršne funkcije prostornog radnog pamćenja, prostornog planiranja, kognitivne fleksibilnosti i kognitivne inhibicije ispitane su CANTAB baterijom testova, a verbalno radno pamćenje ispitano je podljestvicom Pamćenje raspona brojeva WAIS-III testa. Jezične sposobnosti ispitane su testom Peabody slikovnim testom rječnika (PPVT-III-HR ) i Testom razumijevanja gramatike (TROG-2:HR). Rezultati regresijske analize pokazali su da postoji povezanost izmeĎu izvršnih funkcija i razumijevanja sloţenih, ali ne i jednostavnih rečenica, kao ni receptivnog rječnika. Navedeni rezultati mogli bi značiti da je potreba za izvršnim funkcijama tijekom jezične obrade u odrasloj dobi ograničena na sloţenije jezične konstrukcije koje predstavljaju veće opterećenje za obradu. Iako je ovaj rezultat u skladu s rezultatima sličnih inozemnih istraţivanja, za donošenje konkretnijih zaključaka potrebno je u buduća istraţivanja uključiti veći broj ispitanika, ispitanike starijih dobnih skupina, kao i varirati veći broj struktura različite razine sintaktičke sloţenosti.

Abstract (english)

Numerous research on executive functions show evidence of their relation to language. Nonetheless, due to the complexity of executive functions that causes difficulties in defining and measuring them, details of that relationship are still not well defined. The majority of work done on this topic is based on studying children's development and language acquisition or special populations. Because of the dynamic nature of those constructs that change significantly throughout the lifespan, exploring their interactions in adult age would contribute to a better and more complete understanding of that relationship. Having that in mind, the objective of this research was to examine the relationship between specific executive functioning components and receptive language in adult age. The participants in the study were healthy adults (N=30) between the ages of 21 and 37 years. Executive functioning components of spatial working memory, planning, cognitive flexibility and cognitive inhibition were assessed with CANTAB battery of tests, whereas verbal working memory was tested with a subtest of WAIS-III test, the Memory for Digit Span. Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-III-HR) and Test for Reception of Grammar (TROG-2:HR) were administered to assess language skills. The results of regression analisys showed that the relationship exists between executive functions and understanding of grammatically complex sentences. The relationship between executive functions and simple sentences or receptive vocabulary was not found. These results could mean that the involvement of executive functions in language in adult age is required only in grammatically complex sentences that put greater demands on language processing. This finding is in agreement with similar foreign research. However, in order to enable drawing a valid conclusion on this topic, future studies should include more participants and different levels of syntactic complexity.

• Keywords: izvršne funkcije; jezik; receptivni rječnik; razumijevanje gramatike; odrasla dob
• Keywords (english): executive functions; language; receptive vocabulary; receptive grammar; adult age
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:158:465971
• Study programme: Title: Speech and Language Pathology; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra logopedije (magistar/magistra logopedije)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2017-08-30 07:25:59