A short executive function training program improves preschoolers’ working memory

• Main Authors: Emma eBlakey, Daniel J. Carroll
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2015-11-01
• Series: Frontiers in Psychology
• Subjects: cognitive control; executive functions; working memory; cognitive training; preschoolers; mathematics and cognition
• Online Access: http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01827/full

Cognitive training has been shown to improve executive functions in middle childhood and adulthood. However, fewer studies have targeted the preschool years – a time when executive functions undergo rapid development. The present study tested the effects of a short four session executive function training program in 54 four-year-olds. The training group significantly improved their working memory from pre-training relative to an active control group. Notably, this effect extended to a task sharing few surface features with the trained tasks, and continued to be apparent three months later. In addition, the benefits of training extended to a measure of mathematical reasoning three months later, indicating that training executive functions during the preschool years has the potential to convey benefits that are both long-lasting and wide-ranging.