Why Cogmed working memory training can fail
Why Cogmed working memory training can fail.
Cogmed is an evidence-based intervention that helps children and adults improve their concentration skills and cognitive capacity by two years in around five to eight weeks. It presents various challenges that test the trainee's ability to remember, think and do. In other words, it helps active memory to follow through on things and not get distracted – an essential skill for so much in life: school, work, day-to-day tasks – you name it!
After three days, an average baseline is established, and the trainee learns their raw score. Can they remember three, four, five, six or more items in reverse order?
The plan is to jump two whole digits from the raw score to remember more items. It’s a simple system: if a student can remember four items at the start, and go on to remember six items by the end, they have improved by the equivalent of two academic years. Likewise, with adults, they will have reduced their cognitive decline by two years.
“...they can remember a lot, but just can’t seem to hold it in their memory for long enough for it to be effective”
Not everyone shows improvement - why?
For some individuals, Cogmed doesn’t appear to work. One reason for this failure is that some students already come in at a high average. They have been seen to have a high capacity, but weak retention. That is, they can remember a lot, but just can’t seem to hold it in their memory for long enough for it to be effective. As a result, these individuals never show that two-item jump in their scores. For them, Cogmed appears to fail.
Here, at Raviv Practice London, we have developed a new method that shows more valuable data about the positive effects taking place. While we still use Cogmed as an objective measure, we have also introduced our own, more subjective, measure in the form of a questionnaire. The questionnaire focuses on three key areas: inattention, hyperactivity, and task performance.
We have found that while raw scores from Cogmed may not appear to move, our subjective measures still jump significantly. Participants are able to carry out tasks to completion, participate in homework without being nagged, and don't seem to lose track of things or time. These results are sustained for a long duration, which is what it is all about, really!
“They can’t recall, they can’t calculate, and they feel they can’t do what is asked of them.”
Trauma effect
In some cases, students are severely affected by a sort of trauma. These individuals have used a system of memorising in place of active memory. If you’re not used to the terms, it may not be obvious to you what the difference is, but they are basically not developing the appropriate skill to learn in the moment. When asked to do a mental calculation, or read out loud to an audience, they just freeze. They can't recall, they can't calculate, and they feel they can't do what is asked of them.
When presented with Cogmed, they are overwhelmed and do not have the coping strategies to deal with the stress of the increased challenge Cogmed demands.
Raviv Practice London has extensive experience in helping exactly these kinds of individuals and works with trauma using The Safe and Sound Protocol and Trauma-informed Therapy. These therapies provide a variety of additional meditation and breathing activities to allow the nervous system not to feel threatened or fearful. By using these techniques, the student can fully experience what it is like to expand cognitive performance.
One student said she always used to freeze in peer review meetings, but after doing the breathing, vagus nerve massage and ground exercises alongside Cogmed, she was able to attend and perform in meetings like never before.
Finding out how we can help
At Raviv Practice London, we understand the underlying causes of why someone cannot reach their true potential. We offer nine strong services, which all overlap, and are designed to give a deeper understanding of how to help students unlock their true abilities.
Cogmed is an amazing tool, which we started using when it first came out back in 2008. We understand very well just how effective it can be, especially when combined with other therapies, and always achieve the equivalent of two-year improvement for all our students, young and old.
If you relate to this article and want to improve your ability to learn, get in touch. We are experts in the field of cognitive improvement.
Further resources:
Dyslexia? Dyspraxia? ADHD? ASD? Speech & Language? Developmental Delay? Anxiety?
Is every school day a struggle? As a parent, you may feel exhausted and on this journey alone. Each year you see the gap getting wider. You need to do something - change the approach, help your child learn for themselves, find a way to turn this around - to help while you can - do this NOW. the first step is free.
About the Author
Usha Patel is a Neurocognitive Therapist and Director at Raviv Practice London. Parents searching to help their suspected/neurodiverse child can get evidence-based solutions with results in as little as 8 weeks. Those in search of jargon-free help can get started straight away.
