Abstract
Process-based working memory (WM) training in typically develo** children usually leads to short- and long-term improvements on untrained WM tasks. However, results are mixed regarding far transfer to academic and cognitive abilities. Moreover, there is a lack of studies jointly evaluating the different types of transfer, using an adequate design and considering motivational factors. In addition, evidence is needed about how pre-training performance is related to individual differences in training-induced transfer. Therefore, this study aimed to implement and evaluate the efficacy of a computerized process-based WM training in typically develo** school-age children. Near and far transfer effects were evaluated both immediately after training and after 6 months, as well as individual differences in training-induced transfer. The sample was composed of 89 typically develo** children aged 9–10 years (M = 9.52, SD = 0.30), who were randomized to a WM training group or an active control group. They were evaluated at pre-training, post-training, and follow-up phases with measures of visuospatial and verbal WM, reading comprehension, math computation, and fluid intelligence. Results showed that the training group significantly improved performance in verbal WM and fluid intelligence compared to the active control group, immediately after training and after 6 months. Trained children with lower initial performance in verbal WM or fluid intelligence showed greater transfer gains. No group differences were found in motivational factors. Findings of this study suggest that process-based WM training may promote transfer to cognitive abilities and lead to compensation effects of individual differences in typically develo** school-age children.
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The data supporting the results of this review are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Notes
It may be possible that by using an average score, differences between groups in any of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory dimensions might have been balanced out. Thus, additional t-tests were run separately on the scores of each dimension to check for differences between the training group and active control group. Results suggest no significant differences between groups in children from the initial sample: interest/enjoyment, t (87) = 0.015, p = .988, d = 0.003; perceived competence, t (77.55) = 1.014, p = .314, d = 0.214; effort/importance, t (74.94) = 1.600, p = .114, d = 0.335; as well as in children that participated in all the assessment phases of the study: interest/enjoyment, t (80) = 0.234, p = .815, d = 0.052; perceived competence, t (69.77) = 0.471, p = .639, d = 0.105; effort/importance, t (70.71) = 1.577, p = .119, d = 0.388.
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This work was supported by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by SV, under supervision of LC-J and MMR. The first draft of the manuscript was written by SV; LC-J and MMR revised and commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Procedures were evaluated and approved by the Ethics Committee of the National University of Mar del Plata. The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.
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Written informed consent was obtained from the parents/guardians; children gave their verbal assent prior to the beginning of assigned activities.
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Vernucci, S., Canet-Juric, L. & Richard’s, M.M. Effects of working memory training on cognitive and academic abilities in typically develo** school-age children. Psychological Research 87, 308–326 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-022-01647-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-022-01647-1