Work

Children with typical development or Down syndrome benefit from testing versus restudy of arbitrary event sequences across long-term delays and in the face of sleep disturbance.

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Improved memory after prompted retrieval, also known as the testing effect, is evidenced in adults to support long term memory, but rarely examined in children in pre-school or with intellectual disabilities, such as Down syndrome (DS). This study examined episodic memory across one-month, manipulating the presentation of episodic information to compare testing versus restudy of arbitrary event sequences, and the effect of sleep variables. Retrieval rates were compared at 5-minute and one-month delays in 52 children with DS (aged 6-18, 27 male, 24 White) compared to 59 children with typical development (aged 3-7, 23 male, 35 White). A single test improved recall in the DS group over long term delays, this is a novel finding and relevant to real-life and classroom experiences.

Source: Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology

DOI: 10.1037/jpn0000017