Language; Phonological processing; Semantic processing; Williams syndrome; Humans; Male; Female; Child; Adolescent; Word Association Tests; Williams Syndrome/psychology; Williams Syndrome/physiopathology; Semantics; Phonetics; Judgment; Developmental and Educational Psychology; Clinical Psychology
Abstract :
[en] Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder affecting intellectual, cognitive, and language development. We re-examined the phonological-semantic imbalance hypothesis by probing phonological and semantic processing abilities within the same task context, in 19 children with WS and 57 typically developing (TD) children. Participants saw pictures pairs, heard their names, and indicated whether the words were related; the words, if related, shared either phonological or semantic features. Using a generalized linear mixed model, results showed that WS children exhibited a stronger preference for phonological associations over semantic associations, compared to TD children, after controlling for general verbal or non-verbal abilities. Both groups showed similar sensitivity to phonological relations, but WS children showed reduced sensitivity to semantic ones. This pattern suggests that WS individuals have a less developed or an atypical semantic network, emphasizing the need for language intervention to focus on semantic levels of processing.
Hippolyte, Amandine ; Centre de Recherche en Psychologie: Cognition, Psychisme et Organisations (UR 7273), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France. Electronic address: amandine.hippolyte@u-picardie.fr
Majerus, Steve ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Psychologie et Neuroscience Cognitives (PsyNCog)
Marec-Breton, Nathalie; Laboratoire de Psychologie: Cognition, Comportement, Communication, Université Rennes 2, Rennes, France. Electronic address: nathalie.marec-breton@univ-rennes2.fr
Declercq, Christelle; C2S, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France. Electronic address: christelle.declercq@univ-reims.fr
Ibernon, Laure; Centre de Recherche en Psychologie: Cognition, Psychisme et Organisations (UR 7273), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France. Electronic address: laure.ibernon@u-picardie.fr
Language :
English
Title :
Preserved phonological but impaired semantic processing in Williams syndrome: Evidence from a word association judgment task.
This work was supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR) [ ANR-20-CE28\u20130013 ] as part of the SOUNDS project, from which multiple publications will arise based on a shared dataset.
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