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Intra‐individual variability in task performance after cognitive training is associated with long‐term outcomes in children

Cubillo, Ana; Hermes, Henning; Berger, Eva M; Winkel, Kirsten; Schunk, Daniel; Fehr, Ernst; Hare, Todd A (2023). Intra‐individual variability in task performance after cognitive training is associated with long‐term outcomes in children. Developmental Science, 26(1):e13252.

Abstract

The potential benefits and mechanistic effects of working memory training (WMT) in children are the subject of much research and debate. We show that after five weeks of school-based, adaptive WMT 6–9 year-old primary school children had greater activity in prefrontal and striatal brain regions, higher task accuracy, and reduced intra-individual variability in response times compared to controls. Using a sequential sampling decision model, we demonstrate that this reduction in intra-individual variability can be explained by changes to the evidence accumulation rates and thresholds. Critically, intra-individual variability is useful in quantifying the immediate impact of cognitive training interventions, being a better predictor of academic skills and well-being 6–12 months after the end of training than task accuracy. Taken together, our results suggest that attention control is the initial mechanism that leads to the long-run benefits from adaptive WMT. Selective and sustained attention abilities may serve as a scaffold for subsequent changes in higher cognitive processes, academic skills, and general well-being. Furthermore, these results highlight that the selection of outcome measures and the timing of the assessments play a crucial role in detecting training efficacy. Thus, evaluating intra-individual variability, during or directly after training could allow for the early tailoring of training interventions in terms of duration or content to maximise their impact.

Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:03 Faculty of Economics > Department of Economics
Dewey Decimal Classification:330 Economics
Scopus Subject Areas:Social Sciences & Humanities > Developmental and Educational Psychology
Life Sciences > Cognitive Neuroscience
Uncontrolled Keywords:Cognitive neuroscience, developmental and educational psychology, attention control, children, cognitive training, fMRI, intra-individual variability, working memory
Scope:Discipline-based scholarship (basic research)
Language:English
Date:1 January 2023
Deposited On:07 Apr 2022 10:28
Last Modified:25 Apr 2025 01:42
Publisher:Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:1363-755X
OA Status:Hybrid
Free access at:Publisher DOI. An embargo period may apply.
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13252
Other Identification Number:merlin-id:22335
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