Modality matters: differences in abstract and social memory skills in children from high-stress and low-stress environments

Although adverse ontogenetic environments are associated with potential impairments in children's memory, recent research suggests that individuals can develop specialised skills to navigate such settings. We conducted two studies on short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) among 404 children (191 females, Mage = 8.28 years, SDage =1.49 years) from three environments in Naples, Italy: two identified as “high-stress” (Scampia and Roma camp) and one “lower-stress” (Pozzuoli). In Study 1, conventional abstract stimuli were used to assess STM and WM. Compared to the Pozzuoli control group, Roma children exhibited significantly lower scores, while Scampia children performed similarly. In Study 2, which used social stimuli, Roma children showed similar STM but lower WM performance compared to Pozzuoli children, while Scampia children outperformed Pozzuoli peers in both STM and WM. These findings highlight the complexity of memory development, supporting the idea that memory function can adapt to environmental challenges during development, and that impairments only partially define the experiences of children in these contexts.