scholarly journals Cognitive and academic benefits of music training with children: A multilevel meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Sala ◽  
Fernand Gobet
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Random Allocation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Music Training ◽  
Academic Benefits ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
And Mathematics

Music training has repeatedly been claimed to positively impact children’s cognitive skills and academic achievement (literacy and mathematics). This claim relies on the assumption that engaging in intellectually demanding activities fosters particular domain-general cognitive skills, or even general intelligence. The present meta-analytic review (N = 6,984, k = 254, m = 54) shows that this belief is incorrect. Once the quality of study design is controlled for, the overall effect of music training programs is null (g ̅ ≈ 0) and highly consistent across studies (τ2 ≈ 0). Results of Bayesian analyses employing distributional assumptions (informative priors) derived from previous research in cognitive training corroborate these conclusions. Small statistically significant overall effects are obtained only in those studies implementing no random allocation of participants and employing non-active controls (g ̅ ≈ 0.200, p < .001). Interestingly, music training is ineffective regardless of the type of outcome measure (e.g., verbal, non-verbal, speed-related, etc.), participants’ age, and duration of training. Furthermore, we note that, beyond meta-analysis of experimental studies, a considerable amount of cross-sectional evidence indicates that engagement in music has no impact on people’s non-music cognitive skills or academic achievement. We conclude that researchers’ optimism about the benefits of music training is empirically unjustified and stems from misinterpretation of the empirical data and, possibly, confirmation bias.

scholarly journals Cognitive and academic benefits of music training with children: A multilevel meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 1429-1441
Author(s):  
Giovanni Sala ◽  
Fernand Gobet
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Random Allocation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Music Training ◽  
Academic Benefits ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
And Mathematics

AbstractMusic training has repeatedly been claimed to positively impact children’s cognitive skills and academic achievement (literacy and mathematics). This claim relies on the assumption that engaging in intellectually demanding activities fosters particular domain-general cognitive skills, or even general intelligence. The present meta-analytic review (N = 6,984, k = 254, m = 54) shows that this belief is incorrect. Once the quality of study design is controlled for, the overall effect of music training programs is null ($$ \overline{g} $$ g ¯ ≈ 0) and highly consistent across studies (τ2 ≈ 0). Results of Bayesian analyses employing distributional assumptions (informative priors) derived from previous research in cognitive training corroborate these conclusions. Small statistically significant overall effects are obtained only in those studies implementing no random allocation of participants and employing non-active controls ($$ \overline{g} $$ g ¯ ≈ 0.200, p < .001). Interestingly, music training is ineffective regardless of the type of outcome measure (e.g., verbal, non-verbal, speed-related, etc.), participants’ age, and duration of training. Furthermore, we note that, beyond meta-analysis of experimental studies, a considerable amount of cross-sectional evidence indicates that engagement in music has no impact on people’s non-music cognitive skills or academic achievement. We conclude that researchers’ optimism about the benefits of music training is empirically unjustified and stems from misinterpretation of the empirical data and, possibly, confirmation bias.

scholarly journals Do early life “non-cognitive skills” matter? A systematic review and meta-analysis of early life effects on academic achievement, psychosocial, language and cognitive, and health outcomes

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa G. Smithers ◽  
Alyssa C. P. Sawyer ◽  
Catherine R. Chittleborough ◽  
Neil Davies ◽  
George Davey Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Sample Type ◽  
Cross Sectional

AbstractBackgroundSuccess in school and the labour market is due to more than just high intelligence. Associations between traits such as attention, self-regulation, and perseverance in childhood, and later outcomes have been investigated by psychologists, economists, and epidemiologists. Such traits have been loosely referred to as “non-cognitive” skills. There has been no attempt to systematically assess the relative importance of non-cognitive skills in early life on later outcomes.MethodsThe systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, CRD42013006566) in December 2013. We systematically reviewed electronic databases covering psychology, education, health and economics for articles published from database conception until September 2015. Titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility, and from eligible articles data was extracted on study design, sample type and size, age of participants at exposure and outcome, loss to follow up, measurement of exposure and outcome, type of intervention and comparison group, confounding adjustment and results. Where possible we extracted a standardised effect size. We reviewed all studies and rated their evidence quality as ‘better, weak, or poor’ on the basis of study design and potential for confounding, selection and measurement bias.ResultsWe reviewed 375 studies and provided interpretation of results from 142 (38%) better quality studies comprising randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental, fixed effects including twin studies, longitudinal and some cross-sectional designs that made reasonable attempts to control confounding. In the academic achievement category outcomes were reported in 78 publications of better quality studies which were consistent with 0.1-0.2 SD effects.Psychosocial outcomes were reported in 65 better quality studies consistent with effects of 0.3-0.4 SD. For the language and cognitive category there were 42 publications reporting better quality studies consistent with effects of 0.3-0.4 SD. For physical health, results across only eight better quality studies were inconsistent but centred around zero. Analysis of funnel plots consistently showed asymmetric distributions, raising the potential of small study bias which may inflate these observed effects.ConclusionsThe evidence under-pinning the importance of non-cognitive skills for life success is diverse and inconsistent. Nevertheless, there is tentative evidence from published studies that non-cognitive skills associate with modest improvements in academic achievement, psychosocial, and language and cognitive outcomes with effects in the range of 0.2-0.4 SD. The quality of evidence under-pinning this field is generally low with more than a third of studies making little or no attempt to control even the most basic confounding (endogeneity) bias. The evidence could be improved by adequately powering studies, and using procedures and tools that improve the conduct and reporting of RCTs and observational studies. Interventions designed to develop children’s non-cognitive skills could potentially improve opportunities, particularly for disadvantaged children. The inter-disciplinary researchers interested in these skills should take a more rigorous approach to determine which interventions are most effective.

scholarly journals The Cognitive and Academic Benefits of Cogmed: A Meta-Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Deniz Aksayli ◽  
Giovanni Sala ◽  
Fernand Gobet
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Near Transfer ◽  
Academic Benefits ◽  
And Mathematics

Cogmed Working Memory Training (CWMT) is a commercial cognitive-training program designed to foster working-memory capacity. Enhanced working-memory capacity is then supposed to increase one’s overall cognitive function and academic achievement. This meta-analysis investigates the effects of CWMT on cognitive and academic outcomes. The inclusion criteria were met by 50 studies (637 effect sizes).Highly consistent near-zero effects were estimated in far-transfer measures of cognitive ability (e.g., attention and intelligence) and academic achievement (language ability and mathematics). By contrast, slightly heterogeneous small to medium effects were observed in memory tasks (i.e., near transfer). Moderator analysis showed that this effect was weaker for near-transfer measures not directly related to the trained tasks. These results highlight that while near transfer occurs regularly, far transfer is rare or, possibly, nonexistent. Transfer thus appears to be a function of the degree of overlap between trained tasks and outcome tasks.

scholarly journals Problematic alcohol use and reduced hippocampal volume: a meta-analytic review

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (13) ◽  
pp. 2288-2301 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Wilson ◽  
J. L. Bair ◽  
K. M. Thomas ◽  
W. G. Iacono
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Hippocampal Volume ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Problematic Alcohol ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Problematic Alcohol Use

BackgroundA number of studies reports reduced hippocampal volume in individuals who engage in problematic alcohol use. However, the magnitude of the difference in hippocampal volume between individuals with v. without problematic alcohol use has varied widely, and there have been null findings. Moreover, the studies comprise diverse alcohol use constructs and samples, including clinically significant alcohol use disorders and subclinical but problematic alcohol use (e.g. binge drinking), adults and adolescents, and males and females.MethodsWe conducted the first quantitative synthesis of the published empirical research on associations between problematic alcohol use and hippocampal volume. In total, 23 studies were identified and selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis; effects sizes were aggregated using a random-effects model.ResultsProblematic alcohol use was associated with significantly smaller hippocampal volume (d = −0.53). Moderator analyses indicated that effects were stronger for clinically significant v. subclinical alcohol use and among adults relative to adolescents; effects did not differ among males and females.ConclusionsProblematic alcohol use is associated with reduced hippocampal volume. The moderate overall effect size suggests the need for larger samples than are typically included in studies of alcohol use and hippocampal volume. Because the existing literature is almost entirely cross-sectional, future research using causally informative study designs is needed to determine whether this association reflects premorbid risk for the development of problematic alcohol use and/or whether alcohol has a neurotoxic effect on the hippocampus.

Externalizing biases and hallucinations in source-monitoring, self-monitoring and signal detection studies: a meta-analytic review

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 2465-2475 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Brookwell ◽  
R. P. Bentall ◽  
F. Varese
Keyword(s):  
Signal Detection ◽  
Source Monitoring ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Correlation Study ◽  
Auditory Signal ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
External Sources ◽  
Contacting Authors

BackgroundCognitive models have postulated that auditory hallucinations arise from the misattribution of internally generated cognitive events to external sources. Several experimental paradigms have been developed to assess this externalizing bias in clinical and non-clinical hallucination-prone samples, including source-monitoring, verbal self-monitoring and auditory signal detection tasks. This meta-analysis aims to synthesize the wealth of empirical findings from these experimental studies.MethodA database search was carried out for reports between January 1985 and March 2012. Additional studies were retrieved by contacting authors and screening references of eligible reports. Studies were considered eligible if they compared either (i) hallucinating and non-hallucinating patients with comparable diagnoses, or (ii) non-clinical hallucination-prone and non-prone participants using source-monitoring, verbal self-monitoring or signal detection tasks, or used correlational analyses to estimate comparable effects.ResultsThe analysis included 15 clinical (240 hallucinating patients and 249 non-hallucinating patients) and nine non-clinical studies (171 hallucination-prone and 177 non-prone participants; 57 participants in a correlation study). Moderate-to-large summary effects were observed in both the clinical and analogue samples. Robust and significant effects were observed in source-monitoring and signal detection studies, but not in self-monitoring studies, possibly due to the small numbers of eligible studies in this subgroup. The use of emotionally valenced stimuli led to effects of similar magnitude to the use of neutral stimuli.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that externalizing biases are important cognitive underpinnings of hallucinatory experiences. Clinical interventions targeting these biases should be explored as possible treatments for clients with distressing voices.

Adolescent Changes in Aerobic Fitness Are Related to Changes in Academic Achievement

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren B. Raine ◽  
John R. Biggan ◽  
Carol L. Baym ◽  
Brian J. Saliba ◽  
Neal J. Cohen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Aerobic Fitness ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Eighth Grade ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Illinois Standards Achievement Test ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
Reading And Mathematics

There is a growing trend of decreasing physical fitness among adolescents, which may result not only in poorer physical health, but also in poorer academic achievement. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in aerobic fitness and academic achievement in reading and mathematics during middle school. Methods: This study employed a prospective, longitudinal cross-sectional design. Fifty-two adolescents were followed from sixth grade through eighth grade. In the spring, sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students completed Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run tests measuring aerobic fitness. In addition, students also completed Illinois Standards Achievement Test academic achievement tests in reading and mathematics. Results: Changes in aerobic fitness between sixth and eighth grade were positively related to changes in academic achievement in both reading and mathematics between sixth and eighth grade. Conclusion: These data suggest that changes in aerobic fitness may modulate changes in academic achievement. These findings highlight the importance of physical activity and have broad relevance for educational systems and policies.

scholarly journals The Effect of Simulation Technique on Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-36
Author(s):  
Tarik Talan
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Publication Bias ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Simulation Technique ◽  
Bias Analysis ◽  
Analysis Study ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

This research aims to examine the experimental studies on the impact of simulation technique on students' academic achievement using the meta-analysis method. The previous studies that could be meta-analyzed were examined based on the criteria set out in this study. Finally, 91 studies that were conducted between 2010-2020 years and met the inclusion criteria were subjected to meta-analysis. The sample of the research consisted of 7575 participants. According to the results of the analysis performed using the random-effects model, the mean effect size was calculated as g=0.759 with a standard error of 0.075. Based on the findings, the simulation technique can be said to have a broad impact on students' academic achievement. The results of the publication bias analysis revealed that the present meta-analysis study had no publication bias. On the other hand, the results of the moderator analysis revealed that the impact of the simulation technique on the students' academic achievement did not differ by the teaching levels, course/subject area, and application times, however, it differed by the sample size.

scholarly journals Working Memory Training in Typically Developing Children: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Sala ◽  
Fernand Gobet
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Training Research ◽  
Active Controls

Working memory (WM) training in typically developing (TD) children aims to enhance not only performance in memory tasks but also other domain-general cognitive skills such as fluid intelligence. These benefits are then believed to positively affect academic achievement. Despite the numerous studies carried out, researchers still disagree over the real benefits of WM training. This meta-analysis (m = 41, k = 393, N = 2,375) intended to resolve the discrepancies by focusing on the potential sources of within-study and between-study true heterogeneity. Small to medium effects were observed in memory tasks (i.e., near transfer). The size of these effects was proportional to the similarity between the training task and the outcome measure. By contrast, far-transfer measures of cognitive ability (e.g., intelligence) and academic achievement (mathematics and language ability) were essentially unaffected by the training programs, especially when the studies implemented active controls (g ̅ = 0.001, SE = 0.055, p = .982, τ2 = 0.000). Crucially, all the models exhibited a null or low amount of true heterogeneity, wholly explained by the type of controls (non-active vs. active) and statistical artifacts, in contrast to the claim that this field has produced mixed results. Since the empirical evidence shows an absence of generalized effects and true heterogeneity, we conclude that there is no reason to keep investing resources in WM training research with TD children.

scholarly journals A systematic review and meta-analysis uncovering the relationship between alcohol consumption and sickness absence. When type of design, data, and sickness absence make a difference

PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0262458
Author(s):  
Neda S. Hashemi ◽  
Jens Christoffer Skogen ◽  
Aleksandra Sevic ◽  
Mikkel Magnus Thørrisen ◽  
Silje Lill Rimstad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Sickness Absence ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Increased Risk

Aim Earlier research has revealed a strong relationship between alcohol use and sickness absence. The aim of this review was to explore and uncover this relationship by looking at differences in type of design (cross-sectional vs. longitudinal), type of data (self-reported vs. registered data), and type of sickness absence (long-term vs. short term). Method Six databases were searched through June 2020. Observational and experimental studies from 1980 to 2020, in English or Scandinavian languages reporting the results of the association between alcohol consumption and sickness absence among working population were included. Quality assessment, and statistical analysis focusing on differences in the likelihood of sickness absence on subgroup levels were performed on each association, not on each study. Differences in the likelihood of sickness absence were analyzed by means of meta-analysis. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018112078. Results Fifty-nine studies (58% longitudinal) including 439,209 employees (min. 43, max. 77,746) from 15 countries were included. Most associations indicating positive and statistically significant results were based on longitudinal data (70%) and confirmed the strong/causal relationship between alcohol use and sickness absence. The meta-analysis included eight studies (ten samples). The increased risk for sickness absence was likely to be found in cross-sectional studies (OR: 8.28, 95% CI: 6.33–10.81), studies using self-reported absence data (OR: 5.16, 95% CI: 3.16–8.45), and those reporting short-term sickness absence (OR: 4.84, 95% CI: 2.73–8.60). Conclusion This review supports, but also challenges earlier evidence on the association between alcohol use and sickness absence. Certain types of design, data, and types of sickness absence may produce large effects. Hence, to investigate the actual association between alcohol and sickness absence, research should produce and review longitudinal designed studies using registry data and do subgroup analyses that cover and explain variability of this association.

scholarly journals Domain-Specific Inhibitory Control Training to Improve Children’s Learning of Counterintuitive Concepts in Mathematics and Science

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah R. Wilkinson ◽  
◽  
Claire Smid ◽  
Su Morris ◽  
Emily K. Farran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Science Achievement ◽  
Science Content ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Achievement Data ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Counterintuitive Concepts ◽  
Mathematics And Science

AbstractEvidence from cognitive neuroscience suggests that learning counterintuitive concepts in mathematics and science requires inhibitory control (IC). This prevents interference from misleading perceptual cues and naïve theories children have built from their experiences of the world. Here, we (1) investigate associations between IC, counterintuitive reasoning, and academic achievement and (2) evaluate a classroom-based computerised intervention, called Stop & Think, designed to embed IC training within the learning domain (i.e. mathematics and science content from the school curricula). Cross-sectional analyses of data from 627 children in Years 3 and 5 (7- to 10-year-olds) demonstrated that IC, measured on a Stroop-like task, was associated with counterintuitive reasoning and mathematics and science achievement. A subsample (n = 456) participated either in Stop & Think as a whole-class activity (teacher-led, STT) or using individual computers (pupil-led, STP), or had teaching as usual (TAU). For Year 3 children (but not Year 5), Stop & Think led to better counterintuitive reasoning (i.e. near transfer) in STT (p < .001, ηp2 = .067) and STP (p < .01, ηp2 = .041) compared to TAU. Achievement data was not available for Year 3 STP or Year 5 STT. For Year 3, STT led to better science achievement (i.e. far transfer) compared to TAU (p < .05, ηp2 = .077). There was no transfer to the Stroop-like measure of IC. Overall, these findings support the idea that IC may contribute to counterintuitive reasoning and mathematics and science achievement. Further, we provide preliminary evidence of a domain-specific IC intervention with transferable benefits to academic achievement for Year 3 children.

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