Cognitive mechanisms underlying Armoni: A computer-assisted cognitive training programme for individuals with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Título: Mecanismos cognitivos que subyacen a Armoni: Un programa de entrenamiento cognitivo asistido por ordenador para personas con discapacidades intelectuales. Resumen: Aunque se han descrito varios déficits cognitivos en individuos con discapacidades intelectuales (DI), pocos estudios han examinado el uso de programas de entrenamiento cognitivo asistidos por ordenador en este grupo de personas. Este estudio trata de determinar los mecanismos cognitivos subyacentes a 16 actividades incluidas en Armoni, un programa de entrenamiento cognitivo computarizado para individuos con DI, con el fin de validar su uso en esta población. Cincuenta adultos con DI de cuatro centros de atención residencial en España fueron sometidos a pruebas neuropsicológicas de tapping atencional, memoria verbal, memoria visual, comprensión, visuopercepción, visuoconstructión, capacidad de nombrar, fluidez verbal, razonamiento verbal y función motora. Además, se llevaron a cabo las 16 actividades incluidas en el programa de Armoni. Las relaciones entre la función cognitiva y las actividades basadas en el ordenador se evaluaron utilizando correlaciones de Spearman. Después se utilizó análisis de regresión múltiple por pasos para explorar cómo la función cognitiva predice el rendimiento de las personas con DI en las actividades del programa. La mayoría de las actividades del programa correlacionaron con visuoconstructión, comprensión y capacidad de nombrar. La capacidad de nombrar, la memoria visual, la comprensión y la visuoconstructión fueron las que más contribuyeron en los modelos predictivos sobre el desempeño en las actividades de Armoni. Nuestros resultados apoyan la validez de Armoni para el entrenamiento cognitivo en las personas con DI. Palabras clave: Discapacidades intelectuales; funciones cognitivas; entrenamiento cognitivo; Armoni; asistido por ordenador Abstract: Although a number of cognitive deficits have been described in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), few studies have examined the use of computer-assisted cognitive training programmes in this group of people. This study sought to determine the cognitive mechanisms underlying 16 activities included in Armoni, a computerized cognitive training programme for individuals with ID, in order to validate its use with this population. Fifty adults with ID from four residential care centres in Spain underwent neuropsychological testing tapping attention, verbal memory, visual memory, comprehension, visuoperception, visuoconstruction, naming ability, verbal fluency, verbal reasoning and motor function. In addition, they performed 16 activities included in the Armoni programme. The relationships between cognitive function and the computer-based activities were assessed using Spearman correlations. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were then used to explore how cognitive function predicted the performance of individuals with ID on the programme activities. Most programme activities correlated with visuoconstruction, comprehension and naming ability. Naming ability...

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“…There is considerable evidence that, when specific executive function processes are trained, improvements from training are also evident in similar domains [ 16 , 21 , 22 ], such as structurally similar cognitive training tasks, which is referred to as near transfer [ 23 ]. There is also limited evidence for far transfer, which is the transfer of improvements between structurally different tasks or fluid intelligence that depends on executive function [ 21 , 22 ]. Improvements are more pronounced in children with delays in executive function, which has been found in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder [ 16 ].…”

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