Cogmed Working Memory Training for Youth with ADHD: A Closer Examination of Efficacy Utilizing Evidence-Based Criteria
Open accessAbstract
The current review applied the evidence-based treatment criteria espoused by the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Silverman & Hinshaw, 2008 ) to specifically evaluate the short-term and longer term efficacy of Cogmed Working Memory Training (CWMT) as a treatment for youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Utilizing a systematic literature search, 7 studies that employed the school-age version of CWMT were identified for this review. The data reviewed herein suggest mixed findings regarding the benefit of CWMT for youth with ADHD. Two randomized controlled studies have demonstrated that CWMT led to improvements in neuropsychological outcomes and parent-rated ADHD symptoms relative to wait-list control and placebo treatment conditions. Another study demonstrated effects of CWMT relative to a placebo condition on an analog observation of behavior during an academic task, although this study did not find an effect of CWMT on parent-rated ADHD. Finally, an additional study utilizing an active comparison control condition did not find incremental benefits of CWMT on parent- or teacher-rated ADHD. Critical issues in interpreting existing studies include lack of alignment between demonstrated outcomes and the hypothesized model of therapeutic benefit of CWMT, issues with equivalence of control conditions, and individual differences that may moderate treatment response. Collectively, the strengths and limitations of the studies reviewed suggest that CWMT is best defined as a Possibly Efficacious Treatment for youth with ADHD. We suggest future directions for research and conclude with clinical implications of our findings for the treatment of youth with ADHD.
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EF training interventions aimed at ADHD-symptom reduction have yielded mixed results, especially on ADHD behavior.
“Executive functions (EFs) training interventions aimed at ADHD-symptom reduction have yielded mixed results.”
Generally, EF training interventions focus on training a single cognitive domain (e.g., working memory, inhibition, or cognitive flexibility).
“Generally, these interventions focus on training a single domain of cognitive functioning in children with ADHD, such as working memory (WM), inhibition, or cognitive flexibility.”
Most EF-training studies focus on the effects of WM training, whereas very few studies investigate the unique effects of response inhibition and/or cognitive flexibility training in children with ADHD.
“To date, most EF-training studies focus on the effects of WM training (e.g., see [15]), whereas very few studies investigate the unique effects (i.e. without WM training) of response inhibition- and/or cognitive flexibility training in children with ADHD.”
The shorter placebo condition in Klingberg et al. suggests a difference in parent involvement between the conditions, which may have interacted with the outcome of parent-rated ADHD behavior (e.g., through expectancy effects or inequality of parent-child interactions).
“This suggests a difference in parent involvement between the conditions, which may have interacted with the outcome of parent-rated ADHD behavior (e.g., through expectancy effects or inequality of parent-child interactions; see [15]).”
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References 41 · Cited by 128
Research works printed but not linked: 5
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- Authors
- Chacko, A., Feirsen, N., Bedard, A.-C., Marks, D., Uderman, J. Z., & Chimiklis, A.
- Affiliations
- Queens College, CUNY (US)
- The Graduate Center, CUNY (US)
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
- NYU Langone Health (US)
- Corresponding author
- Chacko, Anil
- Venue
- Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2013-05-13
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 769-783
- ISSN
- 1537-4416 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-4424
- PMC
- PMC3744604
- OpenAlex
- W2067683293
- Cited by
- 128
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 11.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (R34MH088845)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, working memory training, treatment efficacy, elementary school students, neuropsychological outcomes, individual differences in treatment response, computerized cognitive training
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Humans, Memory, Short-Term, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Treatment Outcome, Evidence-Based Medicine
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