Pattern of Decline of Digit Span Tasks in Adults: A Comparative Study of Pattern of Decline of Digit Forward Span and Backward Span Tasks in Adults

Abstract

The present study attempts to compare the pattern of decline of digit forward span and digit backward span tasks in adults in the age range of 40-to-above 80 years. A total of 80 adults (40 males and 40 females) participated in the present study. All the participants were divided into five age groups: 40-50: 51-60; 61-70; 71-80; and above 80 years. The results of this study indicate that normal aging affect the DBS earlier than DFS in the course of life. At the same time, the study suggests that both DBS and DFS decline with a similar rate up to 60-70 years; and after 70 years, saturation in span takes place.The findings might help in differentiating normal versus patho-logical aging as well as framing research studies in the direction of digit backward and digit forward span tasks. It can also help in studying the variations of these tasks in different disordered population