Working memory training in typically developing children: A meta-analysis of the available evidence

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• The effectiveness of working memory (WM) training for cognitive and academic enhancement is debated.
• Claims suggest WM training improves WM-specific skills, fluid intelligence, and mathematics.
• Skepticism exists regarding WM training's ability to generalize skills to unrelated domains (far-transfer).

Purpose of the Study:

• To meta-analyze the effects of WM training on cognitive and academic skills in typically developing children (ages 3-16).
• To investigate the extent of near-transfer (WM-related skills) and far-transfer effects.
• To examine the influence of study design quality on observed effects.

Main Methods:

• Meta-analysis of studies on WM training in typically developing children.
• Focused on effects on visuospatial WM, short-term memory (STM), fluid intelligence, attention/inhibition, mathematics, and literacy.
• Assessed study quality based on random allocation and active control groups.

Main Results:

• WM training significantly improved WM-related cognitive skills (g = 0.46).
• Little evidence supported far-transfer effects (g = 0.12).
• Effect sizes were inversely related to study design quality.

Conclusions:

• WM training is largely ineffective for enhancing cognitive or academic skills in typically developing children.
• Observed positive effects, when present, are modest and primarily limited to WM-related skills.
• Far-transfer effects from WM training are rare and minimal, similar to other training paradigms.