Imagery Deficits in Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

Abstract

This study reports the observations gathered from 11 children referred to consulting services because of learning difficulties at school and diagnosed with nonverbal learning disabilities (NVLD). These children had an average verbal IQ, but a WISC-R performance IQ lower than the verbal IQ by at least 15 points and experienced difficulties especially in mathematics and drawing. The children completed a battery of four tasks requiring visuospatial working memory and visual imagery: a memory task composed of pictures and their positions (Pictures task), a task that required them to memorize the positions filled in a matrix (Passive Matrix task), a task that required them to imagine a pathway along a matrix (Active Matrix task) and a task that required them to learn groups made up of three words, using a visual interactive imagery strategy (TV task). In comparison to a control group of 49 children, children with NVLD scored lower in all the tasks, showing deficits in the use of visuospatial working memory and visual imagery. By contrasting subgroups of children of different ages in the control group, it was possible to show that some tasks did not show a clear developmental trend. Thus the deficits shown by the children with NVLD cannot simply be attributed to a developmental delay of these children, but seem to reflect a more severe disability.

Intuitive geometry and visuospatial working memory in children showing symptoms of nonverbal learning disabilities

“…This result is in agreement with previous research (see, for example, Cornoldi et al, 1995Cornoldi et al, , 1999Mammarella & Cornoldi, 2005a). The crucial role of VSWM in children with NLD has been extensively demonstrated in the last 30 years, but the present results support the hypothesis that NLD children encounter difficulties in VSWM tasks, especially when information must not only be maintained but also actively processed.…”

Recognition, Expression, and Understanding Facial Expressions of Emotion in Adolescents With Nonverbal and General Learning Disabilities

“…The non-significant findings between the NVLD, GLD, and NLD groups on the Target Test and the Grooved Pegboard test are inconsistent with previous research where differences emerged between children with NVLD and without LD on visual-spatial working memory and visual-spatial tasks (Comoldi et al, 1999;Ozols & Rourke, 1988Siegel & Linder, 1984;Siegel & Ryan, 1989). One explanation for these conflicting results may be that previous studies assessed differences on these tasks between children, whereas the present study employed a sample of adolescents.…”

“…However, only the AD group performed po orly on nonverbal visual working memory tasks as compared to children without LD (Fletcher, 1985;Siegel & Ryan, 1989). This finding is supported by a more recent study where children classified as having a NVLD, which is often used interchangeably with AD, exhibited more difficulties on tasks that involved visual-spatial working memory and visual imagery relative to children without LD (Comoldi Rigoni, Tressoldi, & Vio, 1999).…”

Nonverbal learning disabilities and developmental dyscalculia: Differential diagnosis of two Brazilian children

“…The authors propose the hypothesis that the difficulties in visuoconstructive tasks and in arithmetic could be due to this asymmetry of the RH. Cornoldi et al (1999) attributed the visuospatial difficulties in children with NVLD to the inefficiency in visuospatial working memory (VSWM) requiring generation of mental images. That is a possible explanation for the deficits shown by C.A.…”

“…Further neuropsychological evidence shows deficits in visuospacial working memory required in mental visual image generation tasks (Cornoldi, Rigoni, Tressoldi, & Vio, 1999). The ability of dealing with novel situations, learning, and executive functions are also affected, compromising concept formation, problem resolution, abstract reasoning, and processing speed.…”