Investigating the effectiveness of memory-based computer cognitive games in improving working memory and sustained attention of students with learning disability

Abstract Background and aim: Nowadays, exploring strategies to help students with learning disabilities is one of the areas of interest for many psychologists and researchers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of memory-based computer cognitive games in improving working memory and sustained attention of students with learning disabilities in Arak. Method: The method of this research was quasi-experimental pretest-posttest with the control group. To conduct this study, 18 students (grade 2 and 3) with learning disabilities were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups of 9 people. To measure the dependent variable of working memory, working memory subtests of Wechsler scale and a sustained attention task were used. The experimental group underwent cognitive game intervention (8 sessions of 30 minutes). Results: The results of multivariate analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in working memory performance, but there is no difference in sustained attention, which shows the effect of the cognitive game on working memory performance, and no transfer effect to attention. Conclusion: Therefore, memory-based computer cognitive games has a significant effect on improving working memory function in learning disabilities and can be used as an effective and useful method to improve it, with no benefit for attention.