A short executive function training program improves preschoolers’ working memory
Cognitive training has been shown to improve executive functions in middle childhood and adulthood. However, fewer studies have targeted the preschool years – a time when executive functions undergo rapid development. The present study tested the effects of a short four session executive function tr...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01827/full |
| _version_ | 1818309795724132352 |
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| author | Emma eBlakey Daniel J. Carroll |
| author_facet | Emma eBlakey Daniel J. Carroll |
| author_sort | Emma eBlakey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cognitive training has been shown to improve executive functions in middle childhood and adulthood. However, fewer studies have targeted the preschool years – a time when executive functions undergo rapid development. The present study tested the effects of a short four session executive function training program in 54 four-year-olds. The training group significantly improved their working memory from pre-training relative to an active control group. Notably, this effect extended to a task sharing few surface features with the trained tasks, and continued to be apparent three months later. In addition, the benefits of training extended to a measure of mathematical reasoning three months later, indicating that training executive functions during the preschool years has the potential to convey benefits that are both long-lasting and wide-ranging. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T07:35:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0c1a14d20789462487481a3ae14b0b38 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T07:35:51Z |
| publishDate | 2015-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0c1a14d20789462487481a3ae14b0b382022-12-21T23:55:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782015-11-01610.3389/fpsyg.2015.01827170648A short executive function training program improves preschoolers’ working memoryEmma eBlakey0Daniel J. Carroll1The University of SheffieldThe University of SheffieldCognitive training has been shown to improve executive functions in middle childhood and adulthood. However, fewer studies have targeted the preschool years – a time when executive functions undergo rapid development. The present study tested the effects of a short four session executive function training program in 54 four-year-olds. The training group significantly improved their working memory from pre-training relative to an active control group. Notably, this effect extended to a task sharing few surface features with the trained tasks, and continued to be apparent three months later. In addition, the benefits of training extended to a measure of mathematical reasoning three months later, indicating that training executive functions during the preschool years has the potential to convey benefits that are both long-lasting and wide-ranging.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01827/fullcognitive controlexecutive functionsworking memorycognitive trainingpreschoolersmathematics and cognition |
| spellingShingle | Emma eBlakey Daniel J. Carroll A short executive function training program improves preschoolers’ working memory Frontiers in Psychology cognitive control executive functions working memory cognitive training preschoolers mathematics and cognition |
| title | A short executive function training program improves preschoolers’ working memory |
| title_full | A short executive function training program improves preschoolers’ working memory |
| title_fullStr | A short executive function training program improves preschoolers’ working memory |
| title_full_unstemmed | A short executive function training program improves preschoolers’ working memory |
| title_short | A short executive function training program improves preschoolers’ working memory |
| title_sort | short executive function training program improves preschoolers working memory |
| topic | cognitive control executive functions working memory cognitive training preschoolers mathematics and cognition |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01827/full |
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