Gehan Roberts|Jon Quach|Lisa Gold|Peter J. Anderson|Field Rickards|Fiona Mensah|John Ainley|Susan E. Gathercole|Melissa Wake
Can improving working memory prevent academic difficulties? a school based randomised controlled trial
Royal Children's Hospital|Royal Children's Hospital|Deakin University|Murdoch Children's Research Institute|Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority|University of Melbourne|Murdoch Children's Research Institute|Australian Council for Educational Research|MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit|University of Cambridge|Murdoch Children's Research Institute
low academic achievement common associated adverse outcomes grade repetition behavioural disorders unemployment ability accurately identify children intervene experience academic failure would major advance current wait fail model recent research suggests possible modifiable factor low academic achievement working memory ability temporarily store manipulate information mental workspace children working memory difficulties high risk academic failure recently demonstrated working memory improved adaptive training tasks encourage improvements working memory capacity trial determine whether intervention efficacious selective prevention strategy young children risk academic difficulties costeffectivethis randomised controlled trial aims recruit 440 children low working memory schoolbased screening 2880 children grade one approach caregivers children 48 participating primary schools metropolitan melbourne consent children low working memory randomised usual care intervention intervention consist 25 computerised working memory training sessions take approximately 35 minutes complete followup children conducted 6 12 24 months postrandomisation child facetoface assessment parent teacher surveys data government authorities primary outcome academic achievement 12 24 months outcomes include child behaviour attention healthrelated quality life working memory health educational service utilisationa successful start formal learning school sets stage future academic psychological economic wellbeing preventive intervention shown efficacious potential prevent academic underachievement large numbers atrisk children offer readytouse intervention australian school system build international research partnerships along healtheducation interface order carry studies effectiveness generalisability