Does including Facebook training improve the effectiveness of computerized cognitive training? A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether implementing a Facebook training program improves the effectiveness of computerized cognitive training (CCT) in older adults. Design: Randomized, controlled, double single-blind trial with parallel groups. Setting: Community centers. Subjects: Eighty-six adults between 60-90 years old. Interventions: Nine face-to-face 60-minute sessions of CCT with VIRTRAEL for all participants. The experimental group received an additional 30 minutes of Facebook training per session. Main measures: Attention (d2 Test of Attention); learning and verbal memory (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised); working memory (Letter-Number Sequencing test), semantic and abstract reasoning (Similarities and Matrix Reasoning tests); and planning (Key Search test). Results: There was a significant Group*Time interaction in the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised-Trial 3, Letter-Number sequencing, and Matrix tests. Between groups, post-hoc analyses showed a difference in Matrix reasoning (p< .001; d= 0.893) at post-intervention in favor of the experimental group. Significant main effects of time were found in the CCT group between baseline and 3-month follow-up for Concentration (F= 26.431, p≤ .001), Letters and Numbers (F= 30.549, p ≤ .001), Learning (F= 38.678, p≤ .001), Similarities (F= 69.885, p≤ .001), Matrix (F= 90.342, p≤ .001), and Key Search (F= 7.904, p= .006) tests. Conclusions: The utilization of CCT with VIRTRAEL, a freely accessible tool with broad applicability, resulted in enhanced attention, verbal learning, working memory, abstract and semantic reasoning, and planning among older adults. These improvements were sustained for at least three months post-training. Additional training in Facebook did not enhance the effectiveness of CCT.