Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39590641›Full record

ReviewJournal of Intelligence2024

Examining Working Memory Training for Healthy Adults-A Second-Order Meta-Analysis.

Maria Syed, Jarrad A G Lum, Linda K Byrne, David Skvarc

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of Intelligence, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Maria SyedFaculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6187-5615
Jarrad A G LumFaculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia.
Linda K ByrneFaculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9055-0046
David SkvarcFaculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-3334-4980

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEnhancing working memory performance in cognitively and physically healthy individuals is a popular area of research. The results from a large number of studies have now been summarized in multiple meta-analyses. In these reviews, various training methods have been examined, including mindfulness training, adaptive working memory training, physical activity training, and video game training, to examine whether working memory capacity can be improved. This report aggregated the results of these meta-analyses using second-order meta-analytic approaches to ascertain the extent to which working memory functioning can be enhanced in healthy adults.

methodsA total of six meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials that compared working memory interventions to a control group were included in the analyses. These studies were identified after systematically searching three electronic databases: APA PsycInfo, ERIC and Medline. Collectively, the meta-analyses investigated the effects of cognitive programs, mindfulness, video games and physical activity on working memory. Only meta-analyses undertaken with healthy adults aged between 18 and 55 years were included in the report.

resultsThe results revealed an average improvement in working memory across the included studies compared to the control groups. The findings indicated a small yet significant enhancement in working memory, with a standardized mean difference of 0.335 (95% CI [0.223; 0.447],

conclusionBased on the findings, it can be concluded that the working memory capacity of healthy adults can be improved through training. However, the effect size is small, so the utility of this type of training in real-life improvements in cognition may be minimal. The evidence does not indicate that one type of working memory training is superior to another.

Indexed as

meta-analysismindfulness trainingphysical activity trainingrandomized controlled trialsvideo game trainingworking memory training

Identifiers

PMID39590641
PMCPMC11595675

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.