Cogmed Treatment Therapy
What Is Working Memory?
Working memory is the ability to briefly (a few seconds) remember information and use this information in your thinking. Your working memory is closely related to your ability to concentrate: you can remember information for a short while by concentrating on it, but it disappears from your memory if you are distracted. You use your working memory for a number of things, such as:
- remembering instructions about what to do next (e.g., keeping a recipe or driving directions in your head while following through)
- keeping all the parts of a number in your memory while you calculate it
- reading and remembering what you read
- problem-solving
- sequencing a task (i.e., performing the various steps of a task in a certain order)
- focusing on the task at hand, without being distracted by irrelevant stimuli
- planning, organizing, and structuring your daily life
Effects of the Training
Cogmed Working Memory Training exercises and improves your working memory. The general effects that have been shown after completed training include:
- better ability to concentrate
- improved executive functions (organization, planning, following through, etc.)
- ability to keep up with items and responsibilities
- improved stamina when performing mentally demanding tasks
After having completed their working memory training, children, adolescents, and adults say that they find it easier to concentrate, to remember things, and to perform more successfully on school-related tasks.
Parents of children and adolescents who have completed working memory training describe them as more independent and have an improved ability to pay attention. Parents often report that their children are better able to communicate and are generally more focused than before the training.
Teachers who come in contact with students who have completed Cogmed Working Memory Training recount that these students are calmer and pay more attention after the training. They also report that the students’ interest in schoolwork has increased and their test scores have improved.
What Does the Program Look Like?
The entire Cogmed Working Memory Training consists of four to five steps:
- An initial interview . The participant and a Cogmed-trained provider will determine the participant’s need, eligibility, and duration of sessions.
- A “start-up” session . Our providers will establish the participant’s baseline performance and demonstrate how to use the program.
- 25 individual training sessions . These sessions are completed in our office. The program duration is around five to six weeks, and the length of the sessions varies depending on the age of the participant:
Cogmed JM (children ages 4 to 6/7): 15 minutes- 25 minutes
Cogmed RM (children ages 6/7 to 17): 30 – 45 minutes
Cogmed QM (adults 18+): 30 – 45 minutes
Please reach out to us to see if this program might be a good fit for you or your child. Feel free to reach out to us if you are experiencing difficulties in your working memory and want to find out more about Cogmed Working Memory Training.