School-based group intervention in attention and executive functions: Intervention response and moderators.

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Child Development

Background:

• Hyperactivity-impulsivity (H-I) and cognitive control (CC) deficits affect academic performance.
• School-based interventions are crucial for addressing these challenges in children.
• Understanding moderators of intervention effectiveness is key for targeted support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a skill-training intervention for pupils with H-I and CC deficits.
• To determine if the intervention differentially impacts H-I and CC.
• To investigate if cognitive abilities or conduct problems moderate intervention outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A school-based skill-training intervention was implemented.
• Participants included elementary school pupils (intervention group n=71, control group n=77).
• Executive function difficulties, including H-I and CC, were assessed by teachers.

Main Results:

• The intervention showed significant positive effects on cognitive control (CC).
• No significant effects were observed for hyperactivity-impulsivity (H-I).
• Intervention effectiveness was more pronounced in pupils with lower levels of conduct problems.

Conclusions:

• Skill-training interventions can specifically enhance cognitive control in school-aged children.
• Conduct problems may impede the positive effects of such interventions.
• Targeted approaches considering behavioral factors are necessary for optimizing intervention outcomes.