Predictors of cognitive control processing increments in preschoolers from poor homes after cognitive training interventions

SEGRETIN M.S.; LIPINA S.J.; BENARÓS M.S.; HERMIDA M.J.; COLOMBO J.A.

San Francisco, EEUU.

Congreso; Cognitive Neuroscience Society, Annual Meeting.; 2008

Cognitive Neuroscience Society

Previous studies have shown negative impact of poverty (UBN method) on executive performance in healthy preschoolers. Two (T1, T2) multimodular cognitive training interventions [T1: N= 237; T2 N=382) were applied in two new cohorts (3-5 years). Intervention Groups received individual (T1, T2) or group (T2) weekly sessions of training in tasks demanding inhibitory control, working memory, planning, and flexibility processing (Module 1). Three schemes were applied: 16, 25 or 32 sessions. Control Groups were involved in tasks with non-executive demands (same schemes). Both groups received iron and folic acid supplementation (Module 2). Teachers (Module 3) and parents (Module 4) received counselling. Intervention Groups significantly enhanced performance on trained and new tasks (Colombo and Lipina, 2005; Martelli et al., 2007; Segretin et al., 2007). In order to identify the role of independent variables in performance increments, Multinomial Regression Analyses were applied. Higher baseline ages predicted performance increments in verbal working memory (T1: rr=2.36, p=0.01, IC95%=1.19/4.66); spatial working memory (T2: rr=2.88, p<0.001, IC95%=1.63/5.11); and flexibility (T2: rr=2.29, p=0.02, IC95%=1.14/4.60). Lower baseline scores predicted performance increments in attention (T2: rr=0.87, p<0.001, IC95%=0.83/0.92), spatial working memory (T1: rr=0.71, p=0.005, IC95%=0.56/0.90); and flexibility (T1: rr=0.59, p<0.001, IC95%=0.45/0.77; T2: rr=0.53, p<0.001, IC95%=0.41/0.70). Higher parental education and occupation predicted increments in spatial working memory (T1: rr=1.47, p=0.03, IC95%=1.04/2.08) and flexibility (T2: rr=1.25, p=0.02, IC95%=1.03/1.50). Results suggest that a profile consisting in higher baseline ages, lower baseline performances, and higher parental education/occupation backgrounds, were the best predictors of cognitive control performance increments in healthy preschoolers from poor-homes. Acknowledgements. Fundación Conectar, Fundación Bunge y Born, UNICEF-Argentina, San Jorge Emprendimientos, Fundación René Barón, CONICET, Secretaría de Educación GCBA, Gobierno de la Provincia de Salta.