Developmental dyslexia and executive functions: evidence on main evaluation methods

Abstract

In recent years, a growing number of studies have been associating Developmental dyslexia (DD) with alterations in executive functions (EF). However, the literature still hasn’t reached a consensus on this subject. This study objective was to carry out a systematic literature review of the most explored functions and neuropsychological instruments for the assessment of EF on children and teenagers with DD, between the years of 2007 and 2017. Seventy-one different instruments for the assessment of EF in individuals with DD were mapped. The most used tests were the Digit Span Task, the Stroop Test and the Tower of London. The most studied EF was working memory. It was concluded that the recent interest in this research field, the wide variety of instruments employed and of EF models adopted hamper the establishment of a consensus on the influence of the diverse aspects of EF on DD