Effectiveness of a working memory intervention program in children with language disorders

Acosta, Víctor M.; Hernández, Sergio; Ramı́rez, Gustavo

doi:10.1080/21622965.2017.1374866

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…A recent study showed that a working memory intervention program for children with language disorders significantly increased performance in various memory and lexical-semantic processing tasks (Acosta et al, 2019). However, limits on working memory have also been shown to be beneficial in adults (DeCaro et al, 2008; Gaissmaier et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Word-Object Learning via Visual Exploration in Space (WOLVES): A neural process model of cross-situational word learning.

Bhat¹,

Spencer²,

Samuelson³

2022

Psychological Review

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Infants, children, and adults have been shown to track co-occurrence across ambiguous naming situations to infer the referents of new words. The extensive literature on this cross-situational word learning (CSWL) ability has produced support for two theoretical accounts-associative learning (AL) and hypothesis testing (HT)-but no comprehensive model of the behavior. We propose Word-Object Learning via Visual Exploration in Space (WOLVES), an implementation-level account of CSWL grounded in real-time psychological processes of memory and attention that explicitly models the dynamics of looking at a moment-to-moment scale and learning across trials. We use WOLVES to capture data from 12 studies of CSWL with adults and children, thereby providing a comprehensive account of data purported to support both AL and HT accounts. Direct model comparison shows that WOLVES performs well relative to two competitor models. In particular, WOLVES captures more data than the competitor models (132 vs. 69 data values) and fits the data better than the competitor models (e.g., lower percent error scores for 12 of 17 conditions). Moreover, WOLVES generalizes more accurately to three "held-out" experiments, although a model by Kachergis et al. (2012) fares better on another metric of generalization (Akaike Information Criterion [AIC]/Bayesian Information Criterion [BIC]). Critically, we offer the first developmental account of CSWL, providing insights into how memory processes change from infancy through adulthood. WOLVES shows that visual exploration and selective attention in CSWL are both dependent on and indicative of learning within a task-specific context. Furthermore, learning is driven by real-time synchrony of words and gaze and constrained by memory processes over multiple timescales.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Word-Object Learning via Visual Exploration in Space (WOLVES): A neural process model of cross-situational word learning.

Bhat¹,

Spencer²,

Samuelson³

2022

Psychological Review

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show abstract

“…A recent study showed that a working memory intervention program for children with language disorders significantly increased performance in various memory and lexicalsemantic processing tasks (Acosta, Hernandez, & Ramirez, 2019). However, limits on working memory have also been shown to be beneficial in adults (Decaro, Thomas, & Beilock, 2008;Gaissmaier, Schooler, & Rieskamp, 2006).…”

Section: Implications For Cswl: Component Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Word-Object Learning via Visual Exploration in Space (WOLVES): A Neural Process Account of Cross-Situational Word Learning

Bhat¹,

Spencer²,

Samuelson³

2020

Preprint

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Infants, children and adults have been shown to track co-occurrence across ambiguous naming situations to infer the referents of new words. The extensive literature on this cross-situational word learning (CSWL) ability has produced support for two theoretical accounts — associative learning (AL) and hypothesis testing (HT) — but no comprehensive model of the behaviour. We propose WOLVES, a formal account of CSWL grounded in psychological processes of memory and attention that explicitly models the dynamics of looking at a moment-to-moment scale and learning across trials. Here we use WOLVES to capture data from 12 studies of CSWL with adults and children, thereby providing a comprehensive account of data purported to support both AL and HT accounts. Moreover, we offer the first developmental account of CSWL, offering insights into how underlying processes change from infancy through adulthood. WOLVES shows that selective attention in CSWL is both dependent on and indicative of learning. Further, learning is driven by real-time synchrony of words and gaze-fixations and constrained by memory processes operating over multiple timescales. Additionally, WOLVES explains a) how performance is impacted by the structure of test paradigms, b) how partial knowledge boosts learning of new words, c) how within- and across-trial competition produces mutual exclusivity; and d) how previously observed individual differences can emerge from learning in the task. The larger theoretical framework in which WOLVES is situated, Dynamic Field Theory, provides neural grounding and ties to other visual processing phenomena like novelty detection and habituation as well as multiple early word learning behaviours.

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“…They identified significant training gains for several working-memory components and a far-transfer effect to performance IQ, although this effect was non-significant with Bonferroni corrections. Acosta, Hernandez and Ramirez [35] also used a pre-test/intervention/post-test design, developing a workingmemory training which targeted short-term verbal memory and EWM in both verbal and visuospatial domains, delivered using a combination of individual and group sessions. They found significant training gains in all components of the working-memory system for children with language difficulties, as well as far transfer to a lexical-semantic task; they also noted greater gains in their group with language difficulties than in a comparison group with TD.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Delage et al [39] used the same Magic Memory intervention, reporting improved working memory in DLD and TD groups compared to active control groups immediately post-intervention, with additional far-transfer gains on sentence repetition and complex syntax in the DLD intervention group. Therefore, the findings reported since 2018 are not only promising support for working-memory interventions for children with DLD, but also suggest that children with DLD may gain more from working-memory interventions compared to individuals with TD [24,[34][35][36][38][39][40][41].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We focussed on children with DLD because of the suggestion that children with developmental conditions may be more likely to benefit from working-memory interventions, as there is more room for improvement. Children with DLD are known to have difficulties with working memory, which encompass both short-term and executive working memory [35,[42][43][44][45]. A faceto-face rather than a computer-based intervention was chosen because, when the study was planned, meta-analyses suggested computer-based forms of intervention were not effective [24,26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A Short and Engaging Adaptive Working Memory Intervention for Children With Developmental Language Disorder: Effects on Language and Working Memory

Henry¹,

Christopher²,

Chiat³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Recent research has suggested that working memory training interventions may benefit children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). The current study investigated a short and engaging adaptive working memory intervention that targeted executive skills and aimed to improve both language comprehension and working memory abilities in children with DLD. Forty-seven 6- to 10-year-old children with DLD were randomly allocated to an executive working memory training intervention (n=24) or an active control group (n=23). A pre-test/intervention/post-test/9-month-follow-up design was used. Outcome measures included assessments of language (to evaluate far transfer of the training) and working memory (to evaluate near transfer of the training). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses controlling for pre-intervention performance and age found group to be a significant predictor of sentence comprehension and of performance on six untrained working memory measures at post-intervention and 9-month follow-up. Children in the intervention group showed significantly higher language comprehension and working memory scores at both time points than children in the active control group. The intervention programme showed potential to improve working memory and language comprehension in children with DLD and demonstrated several advantages: it involved short sessions over a short period; caused little disruption in the school day; and was enjoyed by children.

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Effectiveness of a working memory intervention program in children with language disorders

Cited by 7 publications

References 20 publications

Word-Object Learning via Visual Exploration in Space (WOLVES): A neural process model of cross-situational word learning.

Word-Object Learning via Visual Exploration in Space (WOLVES): A neural process model of cross-situational word learning.

Word-Object Learning via Visual Exploration in Space (WOLVES): A Neural Process Account of Cross-Situational Word Learning

A Short and Engaging Adaptive Working Memory Intervention for Children With Developmental Language Disorder: Effects on Language and Working Memory

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