Computerized Working Memory Training
NCT Number: NCT06567444
Status: COMPLETED
Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
Phases: NA
Conditions: ADHD|Dyslexia
Interventions: OTHER: Working memory intervention
Sponsor: Education University of Hong Kong
Sex: ALL
Age: CHILD
Enrollment: 122
Study Design: Allocation: RANDOMIZED|Intervention Model: PARALLEL|Masking: SINGLE (OUTCOMES_ASSESSOR)|Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
Start Date: 2021-01-01
Completion Date: 2023-05-31
Locations: The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong

Summary:
Prior research has found that children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reading difficulties (RD) are at an elevated risk of developing further cognitive deficits and developmental challenges. ADHD and RD are characterized by a deficit in working memory, which negatively affects learning and behavior. The main aims of this study were to design a working memory training app and examine its effectiveness through a 5-week training program in Chinese children with ADHD and/or RD. There were three experimental groups, with 26 participants in the ADHD group, 38 participants in the RD group, and 24 participants in the ADHD+RD group. The typically developing (TD) control group had 32 participants. All participants completed the pretest and posttest assessments on executive function and reading performance.

Primary Outcome Measures: Intellectual ability, The Raven's Progressive Matrices comprises five sets (starting with set A and ending with set E) of 12 items each, totalling 60 items. Each presents a visual pattern with a missing piece. Participants were required to identify the missing piece that would complete the pattern., Two weeks before the pretest|Central executive function, The central executive function subscale of BRIEF consists of 10 items. Teachers rated their student's behavior using a 3-point Likert scale (1 = never, 2 = sometimes; 3 = often). All 10 items were added together to form the central executive function subscale., One week before the intervention|Central executive function, The central executive function subscale of BRIEF consists of 10 items. Teachers rated their student's behavior using a 3-point Likert scale (1 = never, 2 = sometimes; 3 = often). All 10 items were added together to form the central executive function subscale., One week after the intervention|Verbal working memory, Verbal working memory capacity was measured using the third edition of the backward digit spans subtest from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III). Participants were presented with two to nine orally delivered digits and asked to recall them in reverse order. They must retain auditory information while filtering out irrelevant details and focusing on relevant ones. The backward digit spans subtest consists of 18 trials, and participants who correctly repeated the backward digit sequence received one point., One week before the intervention|Verbal working memory, Verbal working memory capacity was measured using the third edition of the backward digit spans subtest from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III). Participants were presented with two to nine orally delivered digits and asked to recall them in reverse order. They must retain auditory information while filtering out irrelevant details and focusing on relevant ones. The backward digit spans subtest consists of 18 trials, and participants who correctly repeated the backward digit sequence received one point., One week after the intervention|Visual-spatial working memory, Visual-spatial working memory was assessed using the Spatial Working Memory Test (SWM) from Cambridge Cognition. This computerized measure presents several boxes on the screen. Participants were asked to locate a hidden yellow token in each search. Once the token is collected, participants must continue searching for the remaining tokens until all of them have been found (the number of tokens equals the number of boxes). The token never appears in boxes where one has been found before. The number of boxes increases in difficulty from four to eight., One week before the intervention|Visual-spatial working memory, Visual-spatial working memory was assessed using the Spatial Working Memory Test (SWM) from Cambridge Cognition. This computerized measure presents several boxes on the screen. Participants were asked to locate a hidden yellow token in each search. Once the token is collected, participants must continue searching for the remaining tokens until all of them have been found (the number of tokens equals the number of boxes). The token never appears in boxes where one has been found before. The number of boxes increases in difficulty from four to eight., One week after the intervention|Chinese word reading, The 1-minute word reading test from HKT-P(III) was used to measure reading fluency. It consists of 120 simple Chinese two-character words. Participants were asked to read the words as quickly and accurately as possible within a minute. The total number of words read correctly was recorded, and the reading ability score can vary between 0 and 120., One week before the intervention|Chinese word reading, The 1-minute word reading test from HKT-P(III) was used to measure reading fluency. It consists of 120 simple Chinese two-character words. Participants were asked to read the words as quickly and accurately as possible within a minute. The total number of words read correctly was recorded, and the reading ability score can vary between 0 and 120., One week after the intervention