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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
07:01
Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
Published on: September 20, 2020
EXPRESS: From Memory to Strategy: Exploring Strategy Use During Working Memory Training in Brazilian Children
Drielle Barbosa Pereira1, Pedro Martins1, Marcela Mansur-Alves1
1Federal University of Minas Gerais (Department of Psychology), Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais), Brazil.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006)
|August 3, 2026
Summary
Children in working memory (WM) training spontaneously used cognitive strategies, influencing their performance. Fostering metacognitive awareness during training may enhance cognitive benefits for children.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Optimizing working memory (WM) training outcomes requires understanding children's spontaneous strategy use.
- Cognitive interventions aim to improve cognitive functions, but individual differences in strategy adoption can affect efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate spontaneous cognitive strategy use in children during computerized WM training.
- To examine the influence of strategy use on WM training performance in children aged 6-10 years.
Main Methods:
- Forty children (6-10 years) participated in an 8-week computerized WM training or active control program.
- Performance data were collected during training; spontaneous strategy use was assessed via post-intervention interviews.
Main Results:
- 60% of children reported using at least one cognitive strategy (e.g., rehearsal, categorization, mental imagery).
- Children in the WM training group were significantly more likely to find strategies helpful (OR = 5.04, p = .008).
Conclusions:
- Spontaneous strategy use may explain individual differences in WM training success.
- Fostering metacognitive awareness is crucial for enhancing cognitive intervention effectiveness in children.
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