Far transfer to language and math of a short software-based gaming intervention.
Executive functions (EF) in children can be trained, but it remains unknown whether training-related benefits elicit far transfer to real-life situations. Here, we investigate whether a set of computerized games might yield near and far transfer on an experimental and an active control group of low-SES otherwise typically developing 6-y-olds in a 3-mo pretest-training-posttest design that was ecologically deployed (at school). The intervention elicits transfer to some (but not all) facets of executive function. These changes cascade to real-world measures of school performance. The intervention equalizes academic outcomes across children who regularly attend school and those who do not because of social and familiar circumstances.
Laboratorio de Neurociencia Integrativa, Departamento de Física, Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Andrea Paula
AP
Goldin
María Julia
MJ
Hermida
Diego E
DE
Shalom
Martín
M
Elias Costa
Matías
M
Lopez-Rosenfeld
María Soledad
MS
Segretin
Diego
D
Fernández-Slezak
Sebastián J
SJ
Lipina
Mariano
M
Sigman
D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012574:Schools; D012923:Social Class; D012984:Software; D013334:Students; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D018910:Video Games
Attention Network Test; cognitive training intervention; school attendance; school grades; working memory