Table 2.

Studies implementing interventions on working memory

Authors	Study design	Diagnosis	Population	Age	Intervention	Target of intervention	Duration	Intensity	Assessment of near effect	Assessment of far effect	Near effects	Far effects
Bigorra et al. (2016a)	RCT	combined-type ADHD	EG n = 36, CG (non-adaptive CogMed training) n = 30	7–12 yrs	CogMed computer training at home	Spatial and verbal WM	5 wks	5 sessions for week	WM: WISC IV (Digit Span Backward, letter-Number Sequencing), WMS-III (Spatial span backward) BRIEF (WM subscale)	Other Executive functions: BRIEF, CPT II, ToL, WCST-64 and TMT B Clinical symptoms: Conners' rating scales-revised, CBCL/4–18, TRF/4–18 Daily life functioning: SDQ, WFIRS-P Learning skills: Canals	Yes, on BRIEF WM subscale and on a WM composite score	Yes, on other executive functions (BRIEF, CPT), clinical symptoms (composite score) and daily life functioning (school learning behavior at WFIRS-P, only at follow-up) No on learning skills
Bigorra et al. (2016b)	RCT	combined-type ADHD	EG n = 36, CG (non-adaptive CogMed training) n = 30	7–12 yrs	CogMed computer training at home	Spatial and verbal WM	5 wks	5 sessions for weeks	WM: WISC IV (Digit Span Backward, Letter-Number Sequencing), WMS-III (Spatial span backward)	Daily life functioning: Happè’s Strange Stories, Folk Psychology Test Other Executive function: IGT	Yes, the results are reported in the previous article (Bigorra et al., 2016a, 2016b)	No significant treatment effects found
De Vries et al. (2015)	RCT	ASD	EG1 (WMtr) n = 40, EG2 (FLEXtr) n = 37, CG (non-adaptive mock training) n = 38	8–12 yrs	Braingame Brian: computer training at home	EG1: 5 WM activities with increasing difficulties (remembering, manipulating and updating). EG2: One Cognitive Flexibility activity with increasing difficulty	6 wks (25 sessions)	Not reported	WM: Corsi-BTT (similar to activities' training), N back task (different to activities' training); Cognitive Flexibility: GEWT (similar to activities' training), NGST (different to activities' training)	Other executive functions: Stop task, SART, BRIEF Daily Life Functioning: CSBQ, PedsQL Clinical symptoms: DBDRS	No significant differences between groups for working memory and cognitive flexibility	No significant treatment effects found
Egeland et al. (2013)	RCT	ADHD	EG (TAU + Cogmed) n = 38, CG (TAU) n = 37	10–12 yrs	CogMed computer training at school	Spatial and verbal WM	5–7 wks	Each school day (30–45 min)	WM: BVRT	Other executive functions: CW, TMT (D-KEFS), BRIEF, CCPT-II Cognitive outcomes: CAVLT-2 Learning skills: Key Math, LOGOS Clinical symptoms: ARS-IV Daily life functioning: SDQ	No	Yes, on reading learning skills No on cognitive outcomes (CAVLT-2), maths learning skills, other executive functions (CW, TMT (D-KEFS), BRIEF, CCPT-II), clinical symptoms (ARS-IV) and daily life functioning (SDQ)
Chacko et al. (2014)	RCT	ADHD	EG n = 44, CG (Non adaptive training) n = 41	7–11 yrs	Cogmed computer training at home	verbal and non-verbal WM	25 sessions	Fine days per week (30–45 min)	WM: AWMA	Clinical symptoms: DBD, actigraphs Learning skills: WRAT4-PMV	Yes, on WM (non-verbal and verbal storage) but no significant differences between groups on measures of nonverbal or verbal complex working memory (storage plus processing/manipulation)	No significant treatment effects found
Klingberg et al. (2005)	RCT	ADHD	EG n = 26, CG (non adaptive WM training) n = 24	7–12 yrs	Cogmed computer training at home	Spatial and verbal WM	5–6 wks (25 sessions)	40 min per day every day	Visuo-spatial WM: span-board task Verbal WM: Digit-span (WISC III)	Clinical symptoms: parent and teacher-report Conners Rating Scale, number of head movements Cognitive outcomes: CPM Other executive functions: Stroop Task	Yes, on visuo-spatial and verbal WM	Yes, on other executive functions (Stroop task), cognitive outcomes (CPM) and on parent ratings clinical symptoms No on teacher rating clinical symptoms
Beck et al. (2010)	NRS	combined type or inattentive type ADHD	EG n = 27, CG (waitlist) n = 25	7–17 yrs	Working Memory Training Program: computer training at home	Spatial and verbal WM	5–6 wks (25 sessions)	30–40 min per session	WM: BRIEF (WM subscale)	Other executive functions: BRIEF (other subscales) Clinical symptoms: P-ChIPS, Conners’ Rating Scale—teacher and parents	Yes, on WM (for parents at post training and at 4-month follow up, for teachers only at follow up)	Yes, on clinical symptoms (ChIPS, Conners’ Rating Scale) and on other executive functions (BRIEF)

Legend: RCT Randomized Controlled Trial, ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ASD Autism Spectrum Disorder, EG Experimental Group, CG Control Gropu, DSM IV Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders, WM Working Memory, WMtr Working memory training, TAU Treatment As Usual, WISC IV Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV, WMS III Wechsler Memory Scale-III, BRIEF Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions, Corsi – BTT Corsi Block Tapping Task, GEWT Gender Emotion Switch Task, NGST Number gnome switch task, BVRT Benton Visual Retention Test, AWMA The Automatic Working Memory Assessment, CCPT-II Conners’ Continuous Performance Test-II, TOL Tower of London, WSCT Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, TMT – B Trail Making Test, CBCL Child Behaviour Checklist, TRF Teacher’s report Form/4-18, SDQ Strenght and Difficulties Questionnaire, WFIRS Weiss Functional Impairment rating scale for parents, IGT Iowa Gambling Task, SART Sustained attention response task, CSBQ Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire, PedsQL The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, DBDRS parent version of the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale, CW Color Word, DKEFS Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System, CAVLT-2 Children’s Auditory Verbal Learning Tests-2, ARS ADHD Rating Scale, WRAT4-PMV Wide Range Achievement Test 4 Progress Monitoring Version, CPM Colour Progressive Matrices, ChIPS Children’s Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes–Parent Form