Abstract
Executive functions, including working memory and inhibition, are of central importance to much of human behavior. Interventions
intended to improve executive functions might therefore serve an important purpose. Previous studies show that working memory
can be improved by training, but it is unknown if this also holds for inhibition, and whether it is possible to train executive
functions in preschoolers. In the present study, preschool children received computerized training of either visuo-spatial working
memory or inhibition for 5 weeks. An active control group played commercially available computer games, and a passive control
group took part in only pre- and posttesting. Children trained on working memory improved significantly on trained tasks; they
showed training effects on non-trained tests of spatial and verbal working memory, as well as transfer effects to attention. Children
trained on inhibition showed a significant improvement over time on two out of three trained task paradigms, but no significant
improvements relative to the control groups on tasks measuring working memory or attention. In neither of the two interventions
were there effects on non-trained inhibitory tasks. The results suggest that working memory training can have significant effects
also among preschool children. The finding that inhibition could not be improved by either one of the two training programs
might be due to the particular training program used in the present study or possibly indicate that executive functions differ in
how easily they can be improved by training, which in turn might relate to differences in their underlying psychological and
neural processes.
Introduction