Table 1 .
Summary of training studies included in the review.
| Authors | Year | Description of participants | Age of participants | Nature of training | Amount of training | Control | N trained | Pre- and Posttests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wass et al. | 2011 | Typically developing (TD) | 11-month-olds | Mixed Attention/WM (eye-gaze contingent) | 4 training sessions (variable length)—average of 77 (SD = 19.1) mins training administered in total | Watched infant-friendly animations and videos for a matched program of sessions | 21 | Cognitive flexibility (y); processing speed (y); sustained attention (y); working memory (n); spontaneous orienting during free play (s) |
| Kloo and Perner | 2003 | TD | 3- to 5-year-olds | Cognitive Flexibility—Card sorting task (similar to Wisconsin Task). | 2 sessions (15 mins per session) over 2 weeks (30 mins total) | Group trained at number conservation tasks or relative clauses | 14 | False belief (y); switching (card-sorting) (y) |
| Bergman Nutley et al. (WM group) | 2011 | TD | 4- to 4.5-year-olds | WM—visuospatial (Cogmed) | 25 sessions (15 mins per session) over 5–7 weeks (375 mins total) | Received nonadaptive training (combined NVR and WM) | 24 | Working memory/short-term memory (y); reasoning (fluid intelligence (Gf) latent variable) (n) |
| Bergman Nutley et al. (NVR group) | 2011 | TD | 4- to 4.5-year-olds | Computerized nonverbal reasoning (NVR) training based on three tests from the Leiter Battery | 25 sessions (15 mins per session) over 5–7 weeks (375 mins total) | Received nonadaptive training (combined NVR and WM) | 25 | Working memory/short-term memory (n); reasoning (Gf latent variable) (y) |
| Thorell et al. (inhibition group) | 2009 | TD | 4- to 5-year-olds | Inhibition (variant of Go/No-Go) | 25 sessions - 5 weeks of 15 mins per school day (375 mins total) | Active group played commercially available computer games; passive group only took part in pre- and posttesting | 17 | Selective attention (Stroop) (n); visual WM (Wechsler/span board) (n); sustained attention (Continuous performance task (CPT) (n); reasoning (Wechsler) (n); inhibition (Go/No-Go) (n) |
| Thorell et al. (WM group) | 2009 | TD | 4- to 5-year-olds | WM—visuospatial (Cogmed) | 25 sessions: 5 weeks of 15 mins per school day (375 mins total) | Active group played commercially available computer games; passive group only took part in pre- and posttesting | 17 | Selective attention (Stroop) (n); visual WM (Wechsler/span board) (y); sustained attention (CPT) (y); reasoning (Wechsler) (n); inhibition (Go/No-Go) (s) |
| Rueda et al. | 2005 | TD | 4-year-olds and 6-year-olds (separate groups) | Mixed Attention—tracking an object; anticipation; stimulus discrimination; inhibibitory control | 5 sessions (45 mins per session, spread out over 2 to 3 weeks) (225 mins total) | Brought into the lab for the same no. of sessions, watched children’s videos | 24 four-year-olds (18 for ANT); twelve 6-year-olds | Executive attention (Attention Network Tests (ANT) conflict) (y); alerting attention (ANT) (n); orienting attention (ANT) (n); reasoning (Kaufman-Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT)) (s); general behavior (Childhood Behavior Questionnaire) (n) |
| Rueda, Checa, and Cómbita | 2012 | TD | 5.5-year-olds | Mixed Attention—tracking an object; anticipation; stimulus discrimination; inhibibitory control | 10 sessions (45 mins per session) over 5 weeks (450 mins total) | Brought into the lab for the same no. of sessions, watched children’s videos | 18 | Reasoning (K-BIT) (s); Attention (ANT, all subcomponents) (n); gambling task (n); Delay of gratification (s) |
Note. In the final column, “Pre- and Posttests,” “y” indicates that a significant training improvement was observed relative to controls, “s” indicates that some training improvement was observed (either p < .1 on the core measure or significant improvement at some but not all subcomponents), and “n” indicates no training improvement was observed.