Effectiveness of executive function training on mental set shifting, working memory and inhibition in healthy older adults: A double‐blind randomized controlled trials

Abstract

The executive function training may be an effective preventive intervention for healthy older adults. Future studies are recommended to include a broader range of participants with different levels of cognitive function.

A review of prospective trial registration in the Journal of Advanced Nursing in 2018

“…According to SCOPUS the Journal of Advanced Nursing published 288 documents (of which we coded 148 reporting primary research) in 2018. Our search identified six (4% of research papers) randomized controlled trials that were included in this review (Chiu et al, ; Daigle, Talbot, & French, ; Sampaio, Araújo, Sequeira, Canut, & Martins, ; Strandell‐Laine et al, ; Wang et al, ; Zhu et al, ). Two trials were registered with clinicaltrials.gov, two with ISRCTN (International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number) and one with the Chinese clinical trials registry.…”

“…Half of the included studies ( n = 3, 50%) were prospectively registered (Chiu et al, ; Sampaio et al, ; Wang et al, ). Two (33%) were retrospectively registered (Strandell‐Laine et al, ; Zhu et al, ).…”

Corrigendum

“…‘Our research team conducted a series of integrated multi‐year projects that were planned with parallel‐group design with multiple interventions, the evaluation of Executive Function Training (A1) versus C. on older adults' different domains of cognitive abilities (used with Rehacom Computer Training Software Executive Function Training module) (Chiu et al, 2018, the evaluation of Interactive Cognitive Motor Training (A2) versus C. on older adults' different domains of cognitive abilities, visual motor coordination, and gait and balance (used with Hot Plus Interactive Health Service System) (Chan et al., 2019; Kao et al., 2018), both sharing the same control (C) group.…”

“…Therefore, in each substudy, distinct aims, different objectives, essential questions, and specific hypotheses were explored further. The Chiu et al (2018) study focused on executive function, including mental shifting, working memory, and inhibition. Another study focused on eye‐hand coordination (visual‐motor integration, visual perception, and motor coordination) and general cognitive function (Chan et al., 2019).…”

Gaming for safer sex

“…Our novel serious game combined known techniques applied in behavior-changeevaluative conditioning, selective response inhibition training, and working memory training -that have shown to be effective in non-gamified settings (e.g., Chiu et al, 2018), even if studies also failed to show their effectiveness (e.g., Gibson, 2008;Guye & von Bastian, 2017;Verbeken, Braet, Naets, Houben, & Boendermaker, 2018). When testing our serious game, we found mixed results depending on the combination of techniques and the number of gaming sessions.…”