Does social interaction influence the effect of cognitive intervention program? A randomized controlled trial using...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Behavioral science

Background:

• Cognitive decline is a significant concern in aging populations.
• Cognitive intervention programs aim to maintain or improve cognitive function in older adults.
• The role of social interaction in cognitive interventions requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of social interaction on cognitive intervention effectiveness using the board game Go.
• To compare the impact of face-to-face versus non-face-to-face Go training on cognitive function.

Main Methods:

• A single-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 72 older adults with no prior Go experience.
• Participants were assigned to a face-to-face Go group (FG), a non-face-to-face Go group (NFG) using tablets, or a control group (CG).
• Working memory was assessed using the Visual Memory Span Test (VMST) and Visual Memory Span Backward (VMSB) task before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• Both FG and NFG showed significant improvements in VMST scores post-intervention (P < .05).
• The effect size for VMST improvement was larger in the FG (Cohen's d = 0.89) compared to the NFG (Cohen's d = 0.67).
• Only the FG demonstrated significant improvement in VMSB scores (P < .05).

Conclusions:

• The Go game effectively improves visual working memory in older adults, irrespective of social interaction.
• Face-to-face group participation in Go offers superior cognitive benefits compared to individual, non-face-to-face learning.
• Social engagement in cognitive interventions may enhance their efficacy for older adults.