Executive Function Training for Children and Adolescents

An Adherence Composite will be an aggregate score between (1) Participant compliance assessed by the number of completed training sessions completed within guidelines. For each completed training session that complies with the schedule, participants will receive one point, for a total of 40 possible points; (2) Self-reported engagement: After each training session, children are asked to rate their level of engagement using a Likert scale. The dependent variable will be the average engagement rating across all completed sessions; and (3) Effort, which is assessed by fitting a curve to daily training performance with 1 point given for each session where performance is at or above 0.5 SD of the daily estimate for a total of 40 possible points. Furthermore, after each training session, children are asked to rate their level of effort put into the training using a visualized Likert scale. All adherence measures will be combined across all the measures to compute a composite score.

A composite score across 3 working memory measures will be computed. (1) Spatial working memory span is a game-like version of the Corsi-blocks task to assess visuospatial working memory; dependent variable: maximum span length. (2) Complex working memory span is similar to Spatial working memory span but also includes a sorting task in-between encoding trials; dependent variable: maximum span length. In (3) Letter-Number Sequencing, participants are presented with a series of intermixed stimuli (e.g., letters and numbers) and recall each stimulus category separately in numerical/alphabetical order; dependent variable: maximum span length.

A composite score across inhibitory control/set-shifting measures will be computed. (1) Continuous performance task, modeled after standard measures; dependent variable: hits minus false alarms. (2) Flanker task: classic flanker task; dependent variable: a score based upon speed and accuracy. (3) Rule Switch task a standard switching task; dependent variable: is a score based upon speed and accuracy.

A composite across the following measures will be computed. (1) Fluid Intelligence will be measured with the UCMRT matrix reasoning task; dependent variable: number of correct responses. (2) Quantitative Skills will be assessed through a basic arithmetic task where participants quickly answer addition, subtraction multiplication, and division questions; dependent variable: number of correct responses. Finally, we test (3) Reading Speed will be assessed through a basic where short stories are read, and participants answer comprehension at the end of each passage; dependent variable: composite score of time to complete the task and number of correct responses.

A composite score across standardized surveys to assess self-perceived stress and quality of life will be used.

A composite across standardized surveys that capture ADHD symptoms will be used across the full sample; in addition, we will assess functional outcomes in the ADHD sample.

We will also examine measures that we do not expect to change. Vocabulary and General Knowledge will be assessed using standardized tests that require participants to select the appropriate response among several alternatives. Dependent variable: number of correct responses.

We will implement a non-trained version of the n-back task, and for those in the multi-component training group, we will also include non-trained versions of each of the trained tasks. Dependent variables: Speed and accuracy.