A Preliminary Study of Computerized Cognitive Ability Enhancement Program Using Smart-Toy for Children

OBJECTIVES: This study was to examine the effectiveness of computerized cognitive ability enhancement program (CCAEP) using Smart-toy. The CCAEP using Smart-toy which can interact with children via bluetooth is a kids-friendly and convenient method for improving children's cognitive abilities by increasing their motivation for performing the program. We developed the CCAEP which designed to train auditory-verbal memory, visual-spatial memory, auditory-verbal working memory, and visual-spatial working memory. METHODS: Eighteen children aged 8 to 10 participated in CCAEP individual training composed of 8 sessions of 40 minutes each for 4 weeks. The effect of the training was measured with Smart Toyweb's cognitive assessment tasks (smart device based assessment) as well as traditional neuropsychological tests before and after the training. RESULTS: Children showed significant improvement in auditory-verbal memory, visual-spatial memory, auditory-verbal working memory and visual-spatial working memory abilities after the training. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated promising results suggesting the effectiveness of CCAEP using Smart-Toy in clinical settings as well as school and home situations. Further controlled study with larger sample size including various clinical groups is needed to confirm the present results.

The Development and Validation of Memory Tasks Using Smart Devices for School Aged Children

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop auditory-verbal and visual-spatial memory tasks using smart devices for children aged 8 to 10 years and examine their validity. METHODS: One-hundred and fourteen school-aged children were recruited through internet advertising. We developed memory tasks assessing auditory-verbal memory, visual-spatial memory, and working memory, and then examined their construct validity by examining the developmental trend of the children's mean scores with age. In order to examine the concurrent validity of the tasks, we conducted correlation analyses between the children's scores on the newly developed auditory-verbal, visual-spatial memory and working memory tasks and their scores on well-known standardized tests of memory and working memory, including the auditory-verbal memory subtests of the Korean Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery for Children, Korean Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, digit span and arithmetic subtest of Korean Educational Development Institute Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Revised, and Corsi block test. RESULTS: The memory and working memory scores measured by the newly developed tasks tended to increase with age. Further, there were significant correlations between the scores of the four cognitive tasks and the corresponding scores of the standardized assessment tools. CONCLUSION: This study revealed promising evidence for the validity of the memory tasks using smart devices, suggesting their utility for school-aged children in research and clinical settings.

Development and Validation of Computerized Attention Tasks Using Smart Devices for Preschool Aged Children

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop computerized attention tasks using smart devices for preschool aged children for assessment of auditory attention, visual attention, and attention shifting abilities. We then evaluated their construct and concurrent validity of them. METHODS: Sixty-seven 5- to 7-year-old children attending kindergarten were recruited. Newly developed computerized attention tasks and existing standardized attention tests such as Advanced Test of Attention (ATA) and Children's Color Trails Test-2 (CCTT-2) were successively administered. To examine the concurrent validity of these tasks, correlation coefficients between the participants' scores on the newly developed tasks and the scores on well-known measures were calculated for assessment of each component construct. We also examined the construct validity of the tasks using the developmental trend of the auditory attention, visual attention, and attention shifting abilities with age. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed between the scores of computerized attention tasks using smart devices and corresponding scores of ATA-auditory task, visual task, and CCTT-2. And there were significant linear increasing trends of correct scores with age from 5 to 7 years. CONCLUSION: This study provides promising evidence for the utility of computerized attention tasks using smart devices for preschool-aged children.