Language and autobiographical memory development from 5 to 12 years: A longitudinal perspective

Abstract

The main aim of this study, with two repeated measurements, was to analyze the development of autobiographical memory in a sample of 78 Spanish participants at ages 5 (Time 1; M = 62.43 months, range: 50-74 months) and 12 (Time 2; M = 142.71 months, range: 132-155 months). Data were collected on autobiographical memory and verbal functions. We analyzed the relation between language and autobiographical memory specificity from a longitudinal perspective and assessed the indirect effect of vocabulary in the relationship between age and specific memory at both temporal moments. The results showed that language skills were positively related with autobiographical memory specificity at preschool age, but not at the second measurement. Furthermore, vocabulary scores appear to mediate the relationship between age and autobiographical specificity when children are in the preschool years, but not later. These findings agree with previous research that consider preschool age to be a crucial period for the development of autobiographical memory and its relations with language, but once basic command of language is acquired, linguistic differences impact much less on individual differences in autobiographical specificity.

Keywords: Autobiographical memory; Longitudinal perspective; Memory specificity; Verbal ability.

Fig. 1

Mean scores obtained at the first measurement (T1) and the second measurement (T2) in the Autobiographical Memory Test. Note. All ps < .001

Fig. 2

Mediation results at T1. Regression standardized coefficients (a, b, c, and c′) for the relationship Between Age and AM Specificity as partially mediated by vocabulary. Note. N = 78; *** p < .001; **p < .01; *p < .05; WPPSI: Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence; AMT: Autobiographical Memory Test for Preschoolers