Examining the Effects of Working Memory Training in Low SES Children

描述(申请人提供)：工作记忆(WM)指的是允许短期保持和处理信息的神经认知过程。工作记忆能力与一系列积极的结果有关，包括智力和学业倾向。与正常发育的同龄人相比，面临早期逆境的儿童往往在工作记忆和相关的执行功能(EF)过程中表现出缺陷。这些缺陷可能会导致智商和学习成绩等较高水平的认知能力存在差异。尽管一些现有的干预措施促进了广泛的自我调节技能，但仍需要专门旨在改善EF的低强度、负担得起的替代方案。在最近的实证研究中，研究人员展示了认知训练干预的良好效果；这些范式涉及在相对较短的持续时间内对特定认知领域进行重复练习。例如，实施WM训练方案的研究人员已经证明，WM能力和流体推理能力有了令人印象深刻的改善。在成人、儿童和特殊需求人群中可以看到积极的效果，例如患有ADHD的儿童和最初WM能力较低的儿童。然而，到目前为止，还没有研究调查WM培训对高风险、低收入人群的影响。我们建议在低SES儿童(8-11岁)中实施为期15节的WM培训计划。N-back任务将用于训练；这项任务包括记住一系列刺激，并报告当前刺激是否与之前在该系列中呈现的n项刺激相匹配。N的值，因此，难度将适应个人参与者在整个训练阶段的表现。第二组将在相同的持续时间和会话次数内练习控制任务。将向这些家庭提供一台笔记本电脑，以便在家中开展培训课程；将指导这些家庭进行课程管理，并由项目工作人员提供随叫随到的支助。两组的工作记忆能力、流畅推理和学习成绩将在训练阶段之前和之后直接进行测量。此外，为了测试培训的持久效果，将在为期3个月的后续评估中重新测试这些措施。我们的目标是确定家庭培训设计的可行性。如果成功，它将为认知训练干预提供亟需的生态有效性。我们还将评估训练范式在提高EF方面的有效性，以及对液态智力和学习成绩的潜在迁移效应。同样，我们希望评估这些能力的改善可能长期持续的程度。需要进一步研究认知训练模式的有效性，特别是在高风险样本中，以评估它们作为一种低成本、低强度和低剂量替代方案所具有的巨大潜力。 或对传统干预措施的补充。 与公共健康相关：短期记忆过程是智力和学习能力等较高水平认知能力的基础。这些能力的差异，如在神经和行为水平上所看到的，作为童年自闭症的函数而存在。认知训练干预作为一种有效、简短和经济上可行的治疗方法，在高危人群中改善短期记忆、推理和学习能力具有巨大的前景。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Working memory (WM) refers to the neurocognitive processes that allow for the short-term maintenance and manipulation of information. WM ability is associated with a host of positive outcomes, including intelligence and scholastic aptitude. Children facing early adversity tend to show deficits in WM and related executive function (EF) processes compared to their typically developing peers. These deficits likely contribute to disparities present in higher-level cognitive abilities such as IQ and academic performance. Although some existing interventions promote broad self-regulation skills, there is a need for low-intensity, affordable alternatives specifically aimed at improving EF. In recent empirical studies, researchers have demonstrated promising effects of cognitive training interventions; these paradigms involve the repeated practice on a specific cognitive domain over a relatively short duration. Researchers implementing WM training regimens, for example, have demonstrated impressive improvements on WM ability and fluid reasoning ability. Positive effects are seen in adults, children, and special-needs populations such as children with ADHD and children with low initial WM ability. However, no research to date has investigated the effects of WM training on a high- risk, low-income population. We propose implementing a 15-session WM training program in low-SES children (ages 8-11 years). The n-back task will be used for training; this task involves remembering a sequence of stimuli and reporting if the current stimulus matches the stimulus presented n items previously in the series. The value of n and, thus, the difficulty will adapt to individual participant performance throughout the training phase. A second group will practice a control task for the same duration and number of sessions. The families will be provided with a laptop computer to implement the training sessions in-home; the families will be instructed on the administration of sessions and provided on-call support from project staff members. WM ability, fluid reasoning and academic performance will be measured in both groups prior to and directly after the training phase. Additionally, to test for lasting effects of training, these same measures will be retested at a 3-month follow-up assessment. We aim to determine the feasibility of the in-home training design. If successful, it would provide much needed ecological validity to cognitive training interventions We will also evaluate the effectiveness of the training paradigm in improving EF and potential transfer effects on fluid intelligence and academic achievement. Similarly, we wish to evaluate the degree to which improvements in these abilities may be long lasting. Further investigation of the effectiveness of cognitive training paradigms, especially in high-risk samples, is needed to assess the vast potential they hold as a cost-effective, low- intensity, and low-dosage alternative or supplement to traditional interventions. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Short-term memory processes are fundamental to higher-level cognitive abilities such as intelligence and academic aptitude. Disparities in these abilitie, as seen at the neural and behavioral level, exist as a function of childhood SES. Cognitive-training interventions hold tremendous promise as an effective, brief, and economically viable treatment for improving short-term memory, reasoning, and scholastic abilities in high-risk populations.