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Changes in behavior and salivary cortisol after targeted cognitive training in typical 12-month-old infants
Sam V Wass1, Clare Cook2, Kaili Clackson3
1Department of Psychology, University of East London.
Insights
Cognitive training in infancy can improve attention control. This study found that 12-month-olds receiving voluntary attention training showed enhanced sustained attention, faster habituation, and better sequence learning.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Early childhood is a critical period for cognitive development, particularly for attention control.
- Attention skills are foundational for acquiring other complex cognitive abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of gaze-contingent attention training in 12-month-old infants.
- To assess the impact of voluntary attention control training on various cognitive functions and physiological markers.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 48 typically developing 12-month-old infants.
- Intervention group received 95 minutes of gaze-contingent voluntary attention training over two weeks.
- Control group received sham training. Cognitive tasks and salivary cortisol levels were assessed post-training and at follow-up.
Main Results:
- Infants in the training group demonstrated significantly improved sustained visual attention, habituation speed, and sequence learning immediately after training.
- General attentiveness increased, and salivary cortisol levels decreased in the intervention group.
- Improvements in sequence learning and sustained attention were still observable at the 6-week follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Attention training is feasible and effective in infancy.
- Early cognitive interventions targeting attention control can yield lasting benefits for cognitive development and stress regulation.
Abstract:
Previous research has suggested that early development may be an optimal period to implement cognitive training interventions, particularly those relating to attention control, a basic ability that is essential for the development of other cognitive skills. In the present study, we administered gaze-contingent training (95 min across 2 weeks) targeted at voluntary attention control to a cohort of typical 12-month-old children (N = 24) and sham training to a control group (N = 24). We assessed training effects on (a) tasks involving nontrained aspects of attention control: visual sustained attention, habituation speed, visual recognition memory, sequence learning, and reversal learning; (b) general attentiveness (on-task behaviors during testing); and (c) salivary cortisol levels. Assessments were administered immediately after the cessation of training and at a 6-week follow-up. On the immediate posttest infants showed significantly more sustained visual attention, faster habituation, and improved sequence learning. Significant effects were also found for increased general attentiveness and decreased salivary cortisol. Some of these effects were still evident at the 6-week follow-up (significantly improved sequence learning and marginally improved sustained attention). These findings extend the emerging literature showing that attention training is possible in infancy. (PsycINFO Database Record
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