Cogmed Working Memory Training Informational Webinar

Pranjal Barma

Agenda

Introduction

Cogmed in brief

What is working memory

Research and Training effects

Cogmed Working Memory Training – a solution

Q&A

Cogmed Working Memory Training is an evidence-based program that helps children and adults with attention problems focus better by improving working memory

Five days a week for five weeks of computer-based training sessions; supervised by a coach, trained by Cogmed

80% of Cogmed users see improvements – both in research and in clinical evaluations

The effects are substantial and lasting

Backed by peer-review published research

Cogmed training works because it is focused, rigorous, and supported

Customers are private psychology/psychiatry practices and schools

Started in Sweden 2001, part of Pearson since 2010

Cogmed in Brief

What is working memory?

What is working memory?

A system that provides temporary storage and manipulation of the information necessary for such complex cognitive tasks as language comprehension, learning and reasoning. (Baddeley, 1992) It is the ability to keep information in your mind for a short period of time (seconds) and be able to use the information in your thinking

Working memory is key for academic performance

Associated with reading (Gathercole & Pickering, 2000) and mathematic (Geary et al., 2004) ability 10-15% of all students have working memory deficits (Alloway et al., 2009) Children with poor working memory make poor academic progress •Of 300 children with poor working memory (Gathercole & Alloway, 2008):

o 83% scored poorly on either reading or maths tests the vast majority of these scored poorly in both areas

The Development of Working Memory in ADHD

Working Memory

5

15

25

35

45

55

65

75

85

95

7,5 8,5 9,5 10,5 11,5 12,5 13,5 14,5 15,5

Age

Co

rre

ct

Control

ADHD

Westerberg et al. (2004), Visuo-spatial working memory:

a sensitive measurement of cognitive deficits in ADHD.

Child Neuropsychology 10 (3) 155-61.

Signs of working memory constraints

Is easily distracted when doing something not highly interesting

Has trouble waiting his/her turn

Struggles with reading comprehension

Struggles doing math calculations in his/her head

Struggles with getting started

Struggles with completing a task

Difficulties when planning and organising something with multiple steps

Often seems restless and on the go

Loses belongings frequently

Cogmed Working Memory Training - a solution

The Training Programmes

Cogmed RM

Cogmed QM

Cogmed JM

Cogmed Coach Training

Coach support

Cogmed Training Web: start trainings and follow training results

Material to support the coach in coaching

Support to coaches (technical and related to coaching)

The Cogmed method for improving working memory

How do you train your working memory with Cogmed?

Intense training

25 training sessions

30-45 min per session

No settings needed

The difficulty level will automatically adjust based on the performance of the users, so that they will always train on

the limits of their working memory capacity

Three versions of the software

Cogmed JM

Pre-school children

Cogmed RM

School-age children

Cogmed QM

Adolescents and adults

All three versions of the Cogmed software share the same underlying design – the difference is in the user interface

An online tool for the Cogmed Coach to follow and analyse the trainings

The Cogmed Training Web

Where did the user miss trials?

What time of the day did the training take place? How often is the user taking breaks?

Is the user training at his/her optimal level?

Training effects

Improvements from Cogmed Working Memory Training

Double-blind placebo-controlled studies published in peer-reviewed journals, show that Cogmed training improves:

Attention Impulse control Mathematics Following instructions

20 studies published on Cogmed to date, both by the Cogmed founders but also by fully independent research teams. More than 30 ongoing and 40 planned studies.

For the entire list of published, presented and ongoing studies, visit www.cogmed.com/research

Children improve math and listening skills with working memory training

Forty-seven children screened for working memory deficits were assigned to the Cogmed training or low intensity training conditions. Training took place in two UK schools. The Cogmed group were associated with substantial and sustained gains in working memory, with age-appropriate levels achieved by the majority of children. Mathematical ability also improved significantly 6 months following adaptive training.

WM is key to attention and learning

WM can be improved by training, using right tool & protocol: Cogmed

WM can be improved at all age levels

The improvement can be shown on three levels: fMRI/PET, neuropsychological testing and by rating scales

Improved working memory generalises to behavioral improvement

Behavioral improvement is sustained

Effects of WM training are specific: WM and its derived functions are improved

Training effects are pronounced in populations with a WM constraint, not diagnostically driven

Summary of research findings

What do we hear?

Students say - They can concentrate better in class - They have a better flow with the school work - They remember better - They enjoy school more

Teachers say

- The student is calmer - The student concentrates more - The student performs better on academic tasks - The student has matured

Parents say - The child communicates better - The child takes more initiatives on her/his own - The child self-initiates home work without nagging or reminders - The child is more independent

Thank you

List of the 20 Cogmed studies published to date

Including:

A) Randomized, Placebo controlled, Double blinded *

B) Independent researchers * C) Non-independent researchers

*Klingberg et al.,2002

Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology

Olsen et al., 2004

Nature Neuroscience

*Klingberg et al., 2005

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Westerberg & Klingberg, 2007

Physiology & Behavior

Westerberg et al., 2007

Brain Injury

* Holmes et al., 2009

Developmental Science

McNab et al., 2009

Science

Thorell et al., 2009

Developmental Science

Brehmer et al., 2009

Neuroscience Letters

* Holmes et al., 2010

Applied Cognitive Psychology

* Mezzacappa & Buckner, 2010

School Mental Health

*Beck et al., 2010

Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology

* Kronenberger et al., 2010

Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

* Lundqvist et al., 2010

Brain Injury

* Løhaugen et al., 2011

Journal of Pediatrics

Dahlin, 2011

Reading and Writing

*Gibson et al., 2011

Child Neuropsychology

*Bergman Nutley et al., 2011

Developmental Science

Brehmer et al., 2011

Neuro Image

Bellander et al., 2011

Neuropsychologia