Is working memory training effective? A study in a school setting.

Catrin Rode,Robby Robson,Ulrich Mayr,Andy Purviance,David C Geary,Natasha M Maurits

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0104796

Catrin Rode, Robby Robson + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0104796

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Abstract

We tested the effectiveness of an intensive, on average 17-session, adaptive and computerized working-memory training program for improving performance on untrained, paper and pencil working memory tasks, standardized school achievement tasks, and teacher ratings of classroom behavior. Third-grade children received either a computerized working memory training for about 30 minutes per session (n = 156) or participated in regular classroom activities (n = 126). Results indicated strong gains in the training task. Further, pretest and posttest transfer measures of working memory and school achievement, as well as teacher ratings, showed substantial correlations with training task performance, suggesting that the training task captured abilities that were relevant for the transfer tasks. However, effect sizes of training-specific transfer gains were very small and not consistent across tasks. These results raise questions about the benefits of intensive working-memory training programs within a regular school context.

Highlights

The attentional and inhibitory control components of working memory (WM), termed the central executive, are limited mental resources that support the maintenance and integration of information in the service of problem solving and learning [1,2]
Working memory capacity has proven to be a strong predictor of mathematics and reading achievement and across-grade gains in achievement [6,7,8,9]
It is not clear to what degree such a core working memory training program can be embedded within a regular school context and to what degree it produces benefits on academically relevant abilities that exceed those of regular class participation

Summary

Introduction

The attentional and inhibitory control components of working memory (WM), termed the central executive, are limited mental resources that support the maintenance and integration of information in the service of problem solving and learning [1,2]. Working memory capacity has proven to be a strong predictor of mathematics and reading achievement and across-grade gains in achievement [6,7,8,9] Given this powerful relationship it is a plausible hypothesis that if one were to find a way to increase students’ working memory capacity this should have wide-ranging benefits for intellectual and academic functioning. More recently there has been some evidence that, through an intensive adaptive training regimen, working memory capacity itself can be increased [14] If this is correct, improved working memory capacity should translate into wide-ranging benefits, especially for those students with poor WM functions. The main goal of the current project was to adapt an existing training program [19] to and test ifs effectiveness within a relatively large sample of 3rd grade students within a classroom context

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