Differences in working memory between gifted or talented students and community samples: A meta-analysis

Gifted and talented students have different functioning in some components of executive functions, such as working memory. This meta-analysis examines the differences between students with high abilities and with average intelligence in working memory.

A total of 17 articles with 33 different studies were analyzed. A random effects model was used, calculating the effect size with Hedges g. The moderating variables were analyzed using a meta-regression model for continuous variables and ANOVA for categorical variables.

Results show an average effect size of g +=0.80 (95% CI: 0.621, 0.976) and high heterogeneity (Q(32)=196.966; <.001; I² =83.754%). In the studies that measured verbal working memory, the effect size was g +=0.969 (95% CI: 0.697, 1.241) and heterogeneity I² =83.416%. In those assessing visual working memory, g +=0.674 (95% CI: 0.443, 0.906) and the heterogeneity was 83.416%. The analysis of the moderating variables identified the way of measuring working memory as the only significant variable.

There is a significant effect in favor of gifted and talented students in both verbal and visual working memory, with significant influence of the procedure used to measure working memory.