Promoting Third Graders’ Executive Functions and Literacy: A Pilot Study Examining the Benefits of Mindfulness vs. Relaxation Training

Research suggested that developing mindfulness skills in children improves proximal outcomes, such as attention and executive functions, as well as distal outcomes, such as academic achievement. Despite empirical evidence supporting this claim, research on the benefits of mindfulness training in child populations is scarce, with some mixed findings in the field. Here, we aimed to fill in this gap, by examining the effects of a mindfulness training on third graders’ proximal and distal outcomes, namely, attention and executive functions (viz., inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) as well as literacy-related achievement (viz., handwriting fluency, text quality, Portuguese grades). These outcomes were measured with behavioral tasks and teacher ratings. Sixty-six Portuguese children were randomly allocated to an experimental group receiving mindfulness training (n = 29) or an active control group receiving relaxation training (n = 37). Both training programs were implemented by psychologists in two 30-min weekly sessions for 8 weeks. All students were assessed before and after the interventions. Three main findings are noteworthy: (a) mindfulness training enhanced teacher-rated cognitive flexibility and a performance-based composite score of executive functions among children with higher pretest scores; (b) relaxation training improved performance-based cognitive flexibility and the composite score of executive functions among children with lower pretest scores; (c) children receiving mindfulness training had higher handwriting fluency and better grades in Portuguese than those receiving relaxation training. These findings provide preliminary evidence on the benefits of mindfulness training in educational settings and highlight the moderating role of baseline performance on those benefits.

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Executive Functions of Swedish Counterterror Intervention Unit Applicants and Police Officer Trainees Evaluated With Design Fluency Test

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.580463 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Torbjörn Vestberg ◽

Peter G. Tedeholm ◽

Martin Ingvar ◽

Agneta C. Larsson ◽

Predrag Petrovic

Keyword(s):

Executive Functions ◽

Police Officer ◽

Cognitive Flexibility ◽

Higher Order ◽

Police Force ◽

Cognitive Capacity ◽

Expected Improvement ◽

Control Group ◽

Design Fluency ◽

Successful Behavior

Executive functions (EF) represent higher order top-down mechanisms regulating information processing. While suboptimal EF have been studied in various patient groups, their impact on successful behavior is still not well described. Previously, it has been suggested that design fluency (DF)—a test including several simultaneous EF components mainly related to fluency, cognitive flexibility, and creativity—predicts successful behavior in a quickly changing environment where fast and dynamic adaptions are required, such as ball sports. We hypothesized that similar behaviors are of importance in the selection process of elite police force applicants. To test this hypothesis, we compared elite police force applicants (n = 45) with a control group of police officer trainees (n = 30). Although both groups were better than the norm, the elite police force applicants had a significantly better performance in DF total correct when adjusting for sex and age [F(1,71) = 18.98, p < 0.001]. To understand how this capacity was altered by stress and tiredness, we re-tested the elite police force applicants several days during an extreme field assessment lasting 10 days. The results suggested that there was a lower than expected improvement in DF total correct and a decline in the DF3-subtest that includes a larger component of cognitive flexibility than the other subtests (DF1 and DF2). Although there was a positive correlation between the baseline session and the re-test in DF3 [r(40) = 0.49, p = 0.001], the applicants having the highest scores in the baseline test also displayed the largest percentage decline in the re-test [r(40) = −0.46, p = 0.003]. In conclusion, our result suggests that higher order EF (HEF) that include cognitive flexibility and creativity are of importance in the application for becoming an elite police officer but relatively compromised in a stressful situation. Moreover, as the decline is different between the individuals, the results suggest that applicants should be tested during baseline conditions and during stressful conditions to describe their cognitive capacity fully.

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Effects of Eight-Week-Web-Based Mindfulness Training on Pain Intensity, Pain Acceptance, and Life Satisfaction in Individuals With Chronic Pain

Psychological Reports ◽

10.1177/0033294116675086 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 119 (3) ◽

pp. 586-607 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Jessica Henriksson ◽

Emma Wasara ◽

Michael Rönnlund

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Treatment Group ◽

Pain Intensity ◽

Mindfulness Training ◽

Control Group ◽

Web Based ◽

Pain Acceptance ◽

Mindfulness Skills ◽

Online Discussion Forum

This study examined the effects of an eight-week-web-based mindfulness program designed for individuals with chronic pain. A sample of 107 participants with chronic pain ( M = 51.0 years, SD = 9.3) were randomly assigned to a treatment group and a control group. The mindfulness program involved 20 minutes of training per day, six days a week, for eight weeks. During this period, the control group was invited to an online discussion forum involving pain-related topics. A total of 77 participants completed the postintervention assessment ( n = 36 in the treatment group, n = 41 in the control group). The group assigned to mindfulness training showed increased mindfulness skills (Cohen’s d = 1.18), reduced pain intensity ( d = 0.47–0.82), reduced pain-related interference/suffering ( d = 0.39–0.85), heightened pain acceptance ( d = 0.66), reduced affective distress ( d = 0.67), and higher ratings of life satisfaction ( d = 0.54) following the training with no or minor changes up for the control group ( d values 0.01–0.23), a pattern substantiated by significant group-by-time interactions. Despite limitations of this study, including a less than ideal control group to isolate effects of mindfulness and lack of a long-term follow-up, the results appear promising and may motivate further investigations.

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Exercise for Cognitive Improvement and Rehabilitation (EXCIR) Improves Attention and Executive Functions in Children with ADHD

10.21203/rs.3.rs-64920/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Vahid Nejati

Keyword(s):

Selective Attention ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Inhibitory Control ◽

Cognitive Flexibility ◽

Sustained Attention ◽

Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽

Control Group ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Cognitive Improvement ◽

Experimental Group

Abstract Background: Physical activities improves cognitive functioning. The purpose of the present study is to effect of physical activity with progressive cognitive demands on attention and executive functions in children with ADHD. Methods: Thirty children with ADHD were randomly assigned into two equal experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 12 sessions of exercise for cognitive improvement and rehabilitation (EXCIR). Working memory, selective attention, sustained attention, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility were administered pre- and post-intervention through 1-back test, Stroop test, attention registration test, go no go test and trial making test in order. The repeated measure ANOVAs were used for analysis.Results: The results showed that experimental group has a greater performance in selective attention, sustained attention, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility compared to control group. Conclusions: These findings implicate that the cognitive rehabilitation program is advantageous for improvement of attention and executive functions in children with ADHD.

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Mindfulness Training Enhances Endurance Performance and Executive Functions in Athletes: An Event-Related Potential Study

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2020/8213710 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Jui-Ti Nien ◽

Chih-Han Wu ◽

Kao-Teng Yang ◽

Yu-Min Cho ◽

Chien-Heng Chu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Functions ◽

Training Program ◽

Stroop Task ◽

Endurance Performance ◽

Sport Performance ◽

Mindfulness Training ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Control Group ◽

Related Potentials ◽

University Athletes

Mindfulness interventions have been linked to improved sport performance and executive functions; however, few studies have explored the effects of mindfulness on sport performance and executive functions simultaneously. This study sought to examine whether a mindfulness training program would affect both the endurance performance and executive functions of athletes. In addition, event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with the Stroop task were assessed to investigate the potential electrophysiological activation associated with the mindfulness training. Applying a quasiexperimental design, forty-six university athletes were recruited and assigned into a five-week mindfulness training program or a waiting list control group. For each participant, the mindfulness level, endurance performance assessed by a graded exercise test, executive functions assessed via Stroop task, and N2 component of ERPs were measured prior to and following the 5-week intervention. After adjusting for the preintervention scores as a covariate, it was found that the postintervention mindfulness level, exhaustion time, and Stroop task accuracy scores, regardless of task condition, of the mindfulness group were higher than those of the control group. The mindfulness group also exhibited a smaller N2 amplitude than the control group. These results suggest that the five-week mindfulness program can enhance the mindfulness level, endurance performance, and multiple cognitive functions, including executive functions, of university athletes. Mindfulness training may also reduce conflict monitoring in neural processes.

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A College Freshman Mindfulness Seminar to Enhance Psychological Well-being and Cognitive Function

10.31231/osf.io/nx8v4 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Rongxiang Tang ◽

Patricia Broderick ◽

Timothy Bono ◽

Kamila Dvořáková ◽

Todd Samuel Braver

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Mindfulness Training ◽

Control Group ◽

First Year ◽

College Curriculum ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Mindfulness Skills

Mindfulness training has shown promise in improving psychological health and cognitive function. Mindfulness skills may be particularly beneficial in helping first-year students’ transition to college, as this can be a time period of considerable lifestyle changes and increased stress. Previous research has demonstrated positive effects of mindfulness training in college populations, but primarily by providing standardized mindfulness programs that are distinct from the college curriculum. Such programs may pose greater challenges for student participation, as they require a strong extracurricular time commitment. The present study examined the effects of mindfulness training incorporated into a semester-long college seminar dedicated to both practical learning of mindfulness skills and scientific understanding of mindfulness theory, based on the evidence-based Learning to BREATHE (L2B) curriculum. In a quasi-experimental design, first-year undergraduate students in the mindfulness seminar were compared with a control group enrolled in a positive psychology and study skills seminar. Students in the mindfulness seminar exhibited more improvement in satisfaction with life and trait mindfulness, as well as less anxiety; in contrast, no differences were observed in cognitive function. These results demonstrate the feasibility and potential psychological benefits of integrating mindfulness training into standard college curriculum.

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The Effects of Applied and Sport-Specific Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement Training on Mindfulness Skills, Flow, and Emotional Regulation in National Competitive Swimmers

Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology ◽

10.1123/cssep.2020-0034 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 114-123

Author(s):

Jenny Meggs ◽

Mark Chen

Keyword(s):

Emotional Regulation ◽

Relaxation Training ◽

Performance Enhancement ◽

Swimming Performance ◽

Sport Performance ◽

Control Group ◽

Second Phase ◽

Competitive Swimming ◽

Mindfulness Skills ◽

Competitive Swimmers

These case studies examined the effects of mindful sport performance enhancement (MSPE) programs on competitive swimming performance, flow experience, and emotional regulation. Sixteen national competitive adolescent swimmers were randomly allocated into MSPE (n = 9) and relaxation training (n = 7) groups for 8 weeks. In the second phase of the intervention, the 16 participants were evenly split into an MSPE group for swimming and a control group for 5 weeks. The participants completed measures of trait and state flow, and mindfulness pre- and postintervention. The data analysis revealed that mindfulness had significant effects on both action–awareness merging and clear goals subscales. Further analysis revealed that the MSPE for swimming group significantly improved in terms of presence relative to the control group. In conclusion, general and sport-specific mindfulness interventions can psychologically benefit adolescent competitive swimmers.

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The relationship between early musical training and executive functions: Validation of effects of the sensitive period

Psychology of Music ◽

10.1177/0305735620978690 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 030573562097869

Author(s):

Jiejia Chen ◽

Meike Scheller ◽

Chuanyu Wu ◽

Biyu Hu ◽

Rong Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Cognitive Flexibility ◽

Response Inhibition ◽

Musical Training ◽

Sensitive Period ◽

Control Group ◽

Music Training ◽

Inhibition Response ◽

The Relationship

Interest in the influence of musical training on executive functions (EFs) has been growing in recent years. However, the relationship between musical training and EFs remains unclear. By dividing EFs into inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, this study systematically examined its association with musical training in children, and further verified whether there was a sensitive period for the influence of music training on EFs. In Experiment 1, musically trained and untrained children were asked to complete the Go/No-go, Stroop, Continuous Performance, and Switching tasks. Results showed that musically trained children had an advantage in attention inhibition, response inhibition, and working memory, but not in cognitive flexibility. Moreover, the level of musical training was positively correlated with response inhibition and working memory abilities. In Experiment 2, results showed that early-trained musicians performed better on measures of attention inhibition, response inhibition, and working memory than did the age-matched control group, but late-trained musicians only performed better in attention inhibition. Thus, our findings suggest that music training is associated with enhanced EF abilities and provide the first evidence that early childhood is a sensitive period when musical training has a more powerful effect on the development of EFs.

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The Effect of Selected Cognitive Games on the Promotion and Stability of Executive Functions in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorders

Scientific Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine ◽

10.32598/sjrm.10.3.16 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 574-587

Author(s):

Narges Ghaderi ◽

◽

Mohamad Ali Aslankhani ◽

Ehsan Zareian ◽

Jaleh Baqirli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Cognitive Flexibility ◽

Response Inhibition ◽

Developmental Coordination Disorder ◽

Control Group ◽

Coordination Disorders ◽

And Control ◽

Coordination Disorder ◽

Developmental Coordination Disorders

Background and Aims: Children with developmental coordination disorders experience some form of impairment in some executive functions. The present study was designed and conducted to study the effect and retention of cognitive games on the development of three components of executive functions (response inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) among children with developmental coordination disorders. Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental study with a control group. Thirty girls aged 7-10 years with developmental coordination disorder Based on the score obtained in the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-second edition (MABC-2) test set and based on the IQ score, were divided into two experimental and control groups. MABC-2 and Cattle and intelligence tests were used for initial screening, and N-Back, Stroop, and Go-NOGO tests measured working memory, cognitive flexibility, and response inhibition. The training protocol consisted of a series of purposeful cognitive and motor games that explicitly considered the development of a specific component of executive functions. Data were analyzed using a combined two-way analysis (2×3) of variance. Results: The findings showed, performance Working memory (P=0.0001) performance, cognitive flexibility (P=0.045), and response inhibition (P=0.010) increased in the experimental group from pretest to posttest, While no such change was observed in the control group. Also, the effect of improving games on working memory (P=0.0001) and response inhibition (P=0.033) was maintained until the retention test. At the same time, there was no significant difference between cognitive flexibility in the retention test of children with developmental coordination disorder in the experimental group and control. Conclusion: Based on the findings, cognitive-motor games effectively improve and maintain working memory, inhibit response, and develop cognitive flexibility. As a result, according to the results of this study and other studies, it can be acknowledged that intervention as a process as a process-oriented therapy with the involvement of the individual in a mental process improves the executive functions of children with developmental coordination disorder and games introduced in this Research is a good framework for designing and implementing high quality and reproducible programs.

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Mindfulness training and employee well-being

International Journal of Workplace Health Management ◽

10.1108/ijwhm-11-2014-0049 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 126-145 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Nadine Joelle Mellor ◽

Leanne Ingram ◽

Marc Van Huizen ◽

John Arnold ◽

Anne-Helen Harding

Keyword(s):

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Psychological Intervention ◽

Well Being ◽

Mindfulness Training ◽

Future Research ◽

Control Group ◽

Present Moment ◽

Content Type ◽

Mindfulness Skills

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the effects of mindfulness training (MT) on employee well-being. Mindfulness is the awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, sensations, actions and surroundings in the present moment. Design/methodology/approach – The authors used pre-post training measures and a four-week follow-up on a sample of 23 employees from a UK-based organization. The MT group (n=12) received a weekly two-hour training over eight weeks whilst the control group (n=11) received no training. Qualitative interviews (n=36) were conducted with the MT group at three time points to further assess the subjective experiences of training participants. Findings – Compared to the control group, the MT group significantly increased their mindfulness skills including observing and acting with awareness. Scores on well-being, i.e. satisfaction with life, hope and anxiety also improved and were generally maintained at follow-up. Some improvements were seen in the control group too but there was a larger difference in change scores in the MT group on most variables. Qualitative data show additional benefits of MT such as improved concentration at work and better interpersonal relationships. More practice at home led to greater benefits suggesting a dose-response relationship between the amount of practice and substantial benefits. Research limitations/implications – Inviting participants to have a greater amount of practice between sessions may further increase the benefits of mindfulness. Future research should consider a longer follow-up period to further explore the sustainability of the training benefits. Originality/value – Employing a mixed-method approach, this study showed that MT is a viable psychological intervention for enhancing employee well-being.

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Study of the Interaction between Executive Function and Adaptive Behavior at School in Girls with Fragile X Syndrome

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes12081108 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 1108

Author(s):

Lorena Joga-Elvira ◽

Jennifer Martinez-Olmo ◽

María-Luisa Joga ◽

Carlos Jacas ◽

Ana Roche-Martínez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Fragile X Syndrome ◽

Adaptive Behavior ◽

Neuropsychological Tests ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Fragile X ◽

School Setting ◽

Control Group ◽

The Relationship

The aim of this research is to analyze the relationship between executive functions and adaptive behavior in girls with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) in the school setting. This study is part of a larger investigation conducted at the Hospital Parc Tauli in Sabadell. The sample consists of a total of 40 girls (26 with FXS and 14 control) aged 7–16 years, who were administered different neuropsychological tests (WISC-V, NEPSY-II, WCST, TOL) and questionnaires answered by teachers (ABAS-II, BRIEF 2, ADHD Rating Scale). The results show that there is a greater interaction between some areas of executive function (cognitive flexibility, auditory attention, and visual abstraction capacity) and certain areas of adaptive behavior (conceptual, practical, social, and total domains) in the FXS group than in the control group. These results suggest that an alteration in the executive functions was affecting the daily functioning of the girls with FXS to a greater extent.

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