Improving executive functions at school. Integrating metacognitive exercise in class and computerized training at home to ensure training intensity and generalization. A feasibility pilot study

Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of executive functions (EFs) training, both in computer-based and school-based formats. However, there is limited research on the combined effects of these training modalities. This study aims to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an EFs training programme for primary school children. The programme includes computerized training sessions for home use and school activities with metacognitive elements. The study included a sample of 53 second-grade children, with 21 children in the training group and 32 children in the control group. Feasibility questionnaires were completed by children, parents and teachers. The children also underwent an EFs evaluation. The results indicate that the training was enjoyable for children and feasible for parents and teachers. Furthermore, preliminary efficacy analysis revealed significant improvements in working memory. These findings suggest that the training model holds promise for enhancing EFs in children in the school context.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

• Individual differences in executive functions influence acquisitions, behaviours and competencies in several specific domains from infancy to adulthood.
• Enhancing executive functions during school-age years can contribute to reducing or preventing academic, behavioural and social difficulties.
• Among interventions targeting executive functions in school-aged children, school-based interventions have shown the highest effectiveness, followed by metacognitive interventions and computer-based interventions.

What this paper adds

• This paper presents the implementation of an innovative school-based training programme designed to improve executive functions (EFs). The programme combines metacognitive sessions conducted at school with computer-based sessions carried out at home. The goal was to enhance the effectiveness and generalizability of the training.
• The training programme was found to be enjoyable for children and feasible for both parents and teachers.
• Preliminary efficacy data indicate promising results, suggesting that the training programme is effective in achieving its intended goals.

Implications for practice and/or policy

• Integrating school-based metacognitive training with computerized sessions delivered at home can provide a high-intensity training programme that may not be achievable in the school context alone.
• The school activities, conducted in group settings with teachers and peers, were found to be the most appreciated by the children, indicating that computer sessions alone cannot replace the value of metacognitive sessions at school, within a meaningful social context for the child.
• It is crucial to actively involve families in the training process to ensure good adherence. Additionally, the availability of technological resources in each family should be evaluated before implementing the training programme.