TY - JOUR
T1 - Cogmed Working Memory Training for Youth with ADHD
T2 - A Closer Examination of Efficacy Utilizing Evidence-Based Criteria
AU - Chacko, Anil
AU - Feirsen, Nicole
AU - Bedard, Anne Claude
AU - Marks, David
AU - Uderman, Jodi Z.
AU - Chimiklis, Alyssa
N1 - Funding Information:
Support during the preparation of this manuscript was provided through Award Number R34MH088845 from the National Institute of Mental Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health or the National Institutes of Health. We acknowledge Dr. Torkel Klingberg for his helpful assistance in reviewing this manuscript.
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - The current review applied the evidence-based treatment criteria espoused by the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Silverman & Hinshaw, 2008) to specifically evaluate the short-term and longer term efficacy of Cogmed Working Memory Training (CWMT) as a treatment for youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Utilizing a systematic literature search, 7 studies that employed the school-age version of CWMT were identified for this review. The data reviewed herein suggest mixed findings regarding the benefit of CWMT for youth with ADHD. Two randomized controlled studies have demonstrated that CWMT led to improvements in neuropsychological outcomes and parent-rated ADHD symptoms relative to wait-list control and placebo treatment conditions. Another study demonstrated effects of CWMT relative to a placebo condition on an analog observation of behavior during an academic task, although this study did not find an effect of CWMT on parent-rated ADHD. Finally, an additional study utilizing an active comparison control condition did not find incremental benefits of CWMT on parent- or teacher-rated ADHD. Critical issues in interpreting existing studies include lack of alignment between demonstrated outcomes and the hypothesized model of therapeutic benefit of CWMT, issues with equivalence of control conditions, and individual differences that may moderate treatment response. Collectively, the strengths and limitations of the studies reviewed suggest that CWMT is best defined as a Possibly Efficacious Treatment for youth with ADHD. We suggest future directions for research and conclude with clinical implications of our findings for the treatment of youth with ADHD.
AB - The current review applied the evidence-based treatment criteria espoused by the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Silverman & Hinshaw, 2008) to specifically evaluate the short-term and longer term efficacy of Cogmed Working Memory Training (CWMT) as a treatment for youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Utilizing a systematic literature search, 7 studies that employed the school-age version of CWMT were identified for this review. The data reviewed herein suggest mixed findings regarding the benefit of CWMT for youth with ADHD. Two randomized controlled studies have demonstrated that CWMT led to improvements in neuropsychological outcomes and parent-rated ADHD symptoms relative to wait-list control and placebo treatment conditions. Another study demonstrated effects of CWMT relative to a placebo condition on an analog observation of behavior during an academic task, although this study did not find an effect of CWMT on parent-rated ADHD. Finally, an additional study utilizing an active comparison control condition did not find incremental benefits of CWMT on parent- or teacher-rated ADHD. Critical issues in interpreting existing studies include lack of alignment between demonstrated outcomes and the hypothesized model of therapeutic benefit of CWMT, issues with equivalence of control conditions, and individual differences that may moderate treatment response. Collectively, the strengths and limitations of the studies reviewed suggest that CWMT is best defined as a Possibly Efficacious Treatment for youth with ADHD. We suggest future directions for research and conclude with clinical implications of our findings for the treatment of youth with ADHD.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84887998060&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84887998060&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15374416.2013.787622
DO - 10.1080/15374416.2013.787622
M3 - Article
C2 - 23668397
AN - SCOPUS:84887998060
SN - 1537-4416
VL - 42
SP - 769
EP - 783
JO - Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
JF - Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
IS - 6
ER -