The effect of metacognitive executive function training on children's executive function, proactive control, and academic skills

Kubota, Maki; Hadley, Lauren V.; Schäffner, Simone; Könend, Tanja; Meaneye, Julie-Anne; Moreyf, Candice C.; Auyeungg, Bonnie; Moriguchih, Yusuke; Karbachi, Julia; Chevalier, Nicolas

Abstract

The current study investigated the effects of metacognitive and executive function (EF) training on childhood EF (inhibition, working memory [WM], cognitive flexibility, and proactive/reactive control) and academic skills (reading, reasoning, and math) among children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Children (N = 134, Mage = 8.70 years) were assigned randomly to the three training groups: (a) metacognitive training of basic EF processes (meta-EF), (b) training of basic EF processes (basic-EF), and (c) active controls (active control). They underwent 16 training sessions over the course of 2 months. No effects of EF and/or metacognitive training were found for academic outcomes. However, both meta-EF and basic-EF groups demonstrated greater gains than the active control group on proactive control engagement and WM, suggesting that EF training promotes a shift to more mature ways of engaging EF. Our findings suggest minimal near- and far-transfer effects of metacognitive training but highlight that proactive engagement of EF can be promoted through EF training in children.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 28, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Oct 12, 2023
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2023
• Deposit Date: Sep 8, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 12, 2023
• Journal: Developmental Psychology
• Print ISSN: 0012-1649
• Electronic ISSN: 1939-0599
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 59
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 2002-2020
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001626
• Keywords: Life-span and Life-course Studies; Developmental and Educational Psychology; Demography
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/25073697
• Publisher URL: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-16480-001