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Date of Award

Spring 2012

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Major

Neuroscience

First Advisor

Sarah Raskin

Second Advisor

Susan Masino

Third Advisor

William Mace

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate specific elements of prospective memory (PM) functioning in developing children using a new tool, the Memory for Intentions Screening Test for Youth (MISTY). This study also aimed to investigate the effectiveness and validity of this novel tool through comparison to another PM measure, the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test for Children (RBMT-C), and a standard test of intelligence. Results revealed that as age increases, prospective memory ability increases as well, with children performing better on specific elements of PM. Specifically, younger children (ages 5-10) performed better on event-based tasks than on time-based tasks and on two-minute time delays than on ten-minute time delays. These results were most significant in the youngest children (ages 5-6) and were not found in the oldest group studied (ages 13-15), indicating that specific aspects of PM develop at different ages. In addition, results revealed that intelligence is related to the performance of children on the MISTY, with verbal scores, but not non-verbal, significantly correlated to the MISTY. In contrast, the RBMT-C did not correlate to the MISTY. Results of this study highlight the relationships between the developing pre-frontal cortex and PM development in children and provide preliminary results for a clinical measure, the first of its kind, that can effectively measure PM in children.

Comments

Senior thesis completed at Trinity College for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience. Accessible to members of the Trinity community only.

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