Effectiveness of executive functioning training among heterogeneous adolescent samples: A systematic review

Abstract

The aim of the present systematic review was to discuss the reported efficacy of executive functioning training techniques among adolescents. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to retrieve and consolidate findings from articles evaluating executive functioning training techniques among adolescents. A total of 26 articles were located that examined the role of executive functioning training techniques among adolescents (age 10–19 years). Articles retrieved enabled comparison across psychiatric and medical diagnoses including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as adolescents with physical health concerns. Results revealed that among typically developing adolescents, executive functioning training was non-significant or yielded small effect size improvements in executive functioning as measured by behavioral and neuroimaging tasks among 62.5% of studies reviewed. In contrast, in those with medical conditions, ASD, ADHD, and conduct disorder, all but two studies reviewed yielded a medium to large effect size, supporting the effectiveness of EF training. Future research is needed to identify the long-term efficacy of these treatments, as well as their generalizability to real-world conditions.

Keywords:

• Adolescence
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• cognitive training
• executive function
• executive function training

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The space utilized to conduct the study at the University of Rhode Island site was supported by the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number G20RR030883.