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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Am Psychol. 2011 Jul 25;67(2):87–100. doi: 10.1037/a0024657

Table 1.

Laboratory-Based EF Training Studies in Children

First author (year) NC NE Age Sample Training domain Effect Sizes
Category Stat Source Type Effect Size
Rueda (2005) 25a 24 4 Typically developing Attention IG p-p d C N small ↑ frontal ERP amplitude —
IG p-p d C F ↑ reasoning 0.82d
IG p-p d C F ↑ IQ 0.63d
Rueda (2005) 12 12 6 Typically developing Attention IG p-p d C N ↑ frontoparietal ERP amplitude —
IG p-p d C F ↑ vocabulary —
Thorell (2009) 30a 17 4–5 Typically developing Visuospatial WM IG p-p d C N ↑ spatial WM 0.41
IG p-p d C F ↑ verbal WM 1.40
IG p-p d C F ↑ attention 0.65
Karbach (2009) 42 14 8–10 Typically developing Task-switching RM d R N ↓ switch costs ~1.2
IG p-p d C N ↑ inhibitory control 0.44
IG p-p d C N ↑ working memory 0.60b
IG p-p d C F ↑ reasoning 0.49
Stevens (2008) 13 9 6–8 Typically developing Language via attention IG p-p d C N ↑ receptive language 1.43
IG p-p d C F ↑ attentional ERP amplitude 1.76
Stevens (2008) 13 7 6–8 Specific language impairment Language via attention IG p-p d C N ↑ receptive language 3.91
IG p-p d C F ↑ attentional ERP amplitude 6.73
Holmes (2009) 20 22 8–11 Low WM Verbal and visuospatial WM IG p-p d C N ↑ verbal WM 1.06b,c
IG p-p d C N ↑ visuospatial WM 1.20b,c
RM d R F ↑ math at follow-up 0.49b,e
Mackey (in press) 11 17 7–9 Low SES Fluid reasoning IG p-p d C N ↑ reasoning 1.32
IG p-p d C F ↑ WM 0.88
Kerns (1999) 7 7 7–11 ADHD Attention RM d C N ↑ attention 2.64b
RM d C N ↓ interference 3.06
RM d C F ↑ math 1.94
Klingberg (2002) 7 7 7–15 ADHD Verbal and visuospatial WM IG p-p d C N ↑ visuospatial WM 4.66b
IG p-p d C F ↑ reasoning 1.89
IG p-p d C F ↓ ADHD 1.44
Klingberg (2005) 24 20 7–12 ADHD Verbal and visuospatial WM IG p-p d C N ↑ verbal WM 0.68c
IG p-p d C N ↑ visuospatial WM 0.66c
IG p-p d C N ↓ interference 0.25
IG p-p d C F ↑ reasoning 0.18
IG p-p d C F ↓ ADHD 0.90c
Shalev (2007) 16 20 6–13 ADHD Attention IG p-p η2 R F ↑ academic achievement 0.15b
IG p-p η2 R F ↓ ADHD 0.29b

Note. Age is given in years. See Supplementary Material for definitions and procedures for determining the effect sizes (Stat) based on the parameters given in the original studies.

NC = sample size of the control group; NE = sample size of the experimental/training group; WM = working memory; IG p-p = independent groups, pre-post; RM = repeated measures, change within group; Stat = the effect size statistic given; d = Cohen’s d; η2 = Eta-squared; C = effect size value calculated; R = effect size value as reported in the original study; N = near (improvement on trained tasks or nontrained, structurally similar tasks); F = far (improvement on structurally dissimilar tasks).

a

Multiple control groups used, combined N given.

b

Average effect size calculated from multiple dependent variables measuring the same construct.

c

Effect stable at follow-up test.

d

See note in Supplemental Material for calculation of these effect sizes.

e

Effect reported from follow-up test.