Applying cognitive training to target executive functions during early development

Figures & data

Table 1 Summary of training studies included in the review.

Authors	Year	Description of participants	Age of participants	Nature of training	Amount of training	Control	N trained	Pre- and Posttests
Wass et al.	2011	Typically developing (TD)	11-month-olds	Mixed Attention/WM (eye-gaze contingent)	4 training sessions (variable length)—average of 77 (SD = 19.1) mins training administered in total	Watched infant-friendly animations and videos for a matched program of sessions	21	Cognitive flexibility (y); processing speed (y); sustained attention (y); working memory (n); spontaneous orienting during free play (s)
Kloo and Perner	2003	TD	3- to 5-year-olds	Cognitive Flexibility—Card sorting task (similar to Wisconsin Task).	2 sessions (15 mins per session) over 2 weeks (30 mins total)	Group trained at number conservation tasks or relative clauses	14	False belief (y); switching (card-sorting) (y)
Bergman Nutley et al. (WM group)	2011	TD	4- to 4.5-year-olds	WM—visuospatial (Cogmed)	25 sessions (15 mins per session) over 5–7 weeks (375 mins total)	Received nonadaptive training (combined NVR and WM)	24	Working memory/short-term memory (y); reasoning (fluid intelligence (Gf) latent variable) (n)
Bergman Nutley et al. (NVR group)	2011	TD	4- to 4.5-year-olds	Computerized nonverbal reasoning (NVR) training based on three tests from the Leiter Battery	25 sessions (15 mins per session) over 5–7 weeks (375 mins total)	Received nonadaptive training (combined NVR and WM)	25	Working memory/short-term memory (n); reasoning (Gf latent variable) (y)
Thorell et al. (inhibition group)	2009	TD	4- to 5-year-olds	Inhibition (variant of Go/No-Go)	25 sessions - 5 weeks of 15 mins per school day (375 mins total)	Active group played commercially available computer games; passive group only took part in pre- and posttesting	17	Selective attention (Stroop) (n); visual WM (Wechsler/span board) (n); sustained attention (Continuous performance task (CPT) (n); reasoning (Wechsler) (n); inhibition (Go/No-Go) (n)
Thorell et al. (WM group)	2009	TD	4- to 5-year-olds	WM—visuospatial (Cogmed)	25 sessions: 5 weeks of 15 mins per school day (375 mins total)	Active group played commercially available computer games; passive group only took part in pre- and posttesting	17	Selective attention (Stroop) (n); visual WM (Wechsler/span board) (y); sustained attention (CPT) (y); reasoning (Wechsler) (n); inhibition (Go/No-Go) (s)
Rueda et al.	2005	TD	4-year-olds and 6-year-olds (separate groups)	Mixed Attention—tracking an object; anticipation; stimulus discrimination; inhibibitory control	5 sessions (45 mins per session, spread out over 2 to 3 weeks) (225 mins total)	Brought into the lab for the same no. of sessions, watched children’s videos	24 four-year-olds (18 for ANT); twelve 6-year-olds	Executive attention (Attention Network Tests (ANT) conflict) (y); alerting attention (ANT) (n); orienting attention (ANT) (n); reasoning (Kaufman-Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT)) (s); general behavior (Childhood Behavior Questionnaire) (n)
Rueda, Checa, and Cómbita	2012	TD	5.5-year-olds	Mixed Attention—tracking an object; anticipation; stimulus discrimination; inhibibitory control	10 sessions (45 mins per session) over 5 weeks (450 mins total)	Brought into the lab for the same no. of sessions, watched children’s videos	18	Reasoning (K-BIT) (s); Attention (ANT, all subcomponents) (n); gambling task (n); Delay of gratification (s)

Note. In the final column, “Pre- and Posttests,” “y” indicates that a significant training improvement was observed relative to controls, “s” indicates that some training improvement was observed (either p < .1 on the core measure or significant improvement at some but not all subcomponents), and “n” indicates no training improvement was observed.