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Vita-Barrull N, Estrada-Plana V, March-Llanes J, Guzmán N, Fernández-Muñoz C, Ayesa R, Moya-Higueras J. Board game-based intervention to improve executive functions and academic skills in rural schools: A randomized controlled trial. Trends Neurosci Educ 2023; 33:100216. [PMID: 38049295 DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2023.100216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This research intends to increase the knowledge about the use of board games in the classroom to train executive functions and academic skills. 99 children from rural schools were assessed in executive functions and academic skills. METHODS Through a randomized controlled trial, they were assigned to a playing group (n = 51) and an active control group (regular classes without games, n = 48). Play program consisted of 12 sessions for 6 weeks with eight commercial board games. RESULTS In flexibility, the playing group was significantly faster after the program (p= = .01, d = 0.76), but not the control group (p = .23; d = 0.35). Both groups improved in the academic tasks, but the significance in calculus was greater in the playing group (p = .00; d = 2.19) than in the control group (p = .01; d = 0.97). DISCUSION The use of board games during school hours could be as good or better methodology for cognitive training and learning academic skills than regular classes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Rosa Ayesa
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Research Group on Mental Illnesses, Valdecilla Biomedical Research Institute (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Jorge Moya-Higueras
- Department of Psychology, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain; Center for Biomedical Research Network on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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Rodríguez-Ferrer JM, Manzano-León A, Aguilar-Parra JM, Cangas A. Effectiveness of gamification and game-based learning in Spanish adolescents with dyslexia: A longitudinal quasi-experimental research. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2023; 141:104603. [PMID: 37741200 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gamification and game-based learning can provide motivating learning opportunities. The scientific literature suggests that these play strategies could be supportive tools for the learning of students with diagnosed dyslexia. AIMS This study compares the effectiveness of an educational gamification and game-based learning (GBL) methodology versus a transmissive methodology for the improvement of reading processes and academic performance in the subject of Spanish Language and Literature in Spanish high school students with dyslexia. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Longitudinal quasi-experimental research was conducted with control and experimental groups. Ninety students with a mean age of 14.22 years (SD = 0.95) participated in the study. The assessment instruments used were the PROLEC-SE reading process assessment battery and academic performance through subject grades. The intervention with the experimental group consisted of gamification and GBL of 15 one-hour sessions in which students' oral and written skills were worked with playful learning strategies. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS The results indicate that the experimental group had statistically significant improvement in their reading skills (η2g = 0.616) and academic performance, albeit less in pseudoword speed, compared to the control group (η2g = 0.197). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS The study highlights the usefulness of gamification and GBL as practical tools for meaningful learning in students with dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Rodríguez-Ferrer
- Health Research Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain; Universidad Isabel I, www.ui1.es, España
| | - Ana Manzano-León
- Health Research Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain.
| | | | - Adolfo Cangas
- Health Research Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
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Moya-Higueras J, Solé-Puiggené M, Vita-Barrull N, Estrada-Plana V, Guzmán N, Arias S, Garcia X, Ayesa-Arriola R, March-Llanes J. Just Play Cognitive Modern Board and Card Games, It's Going to Be Good for Your Executive Functions: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Children at Risk of Social Exclusion. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1492. [PMID: 37761453 PMCID: PMC10527566 DOI: 10.3390/children10091492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Modern board and card games are usually used for leisure. Few studies have focused on the type of game played in vulnerable populations. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of playing modern board and card games to enhance updating, inhibition, and flexibility in children at risk of social exclusion using games that activated specific basic executive functions. We developed a quadruple-blind randomized clinical trial during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixty-eight participants (7-12 years old) were divided into two experimental groups: 35 children played games that directly activated basic executive functions, and 33 played games that directly triggered other cognitive domains. The primary statistical analysis consisted of mixed models. We found significant time effects in cognitive flexibility and inhibition and, to a lesser extent, in working memory in both gaming groups. We analyzed the cognitive profile of the games and found that all the games activated basic executive functions significantly, irrespective of the experimental group. Therefore, it is possible that playing any type of modern board and card game (excluding games with a high incidence of luck) could be beneficial for children at risk of social exclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Moya-Higueras
- Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain; (M.S.-P.); (N.V.-B.); (V.E.-P.); (J.M.-L.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Institut de Desenvolupament Social i Territorial (INDEST), 25001 Lleida, Spain
| | - Marina Solé-Puiggené
- Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain; (M.S.-P.); (N.V.-B.); (V.E.-P.); (J.M.-L.)
- Institut de Desenvolupament Social i Territorial (INDEST), 25001 Lleida, Spain
| | - Nuria Vita-Barrull
- Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain; (M.S.-P.); (N.V.-B.); (V.E.-P.); (J.M.-L.)
- Institut de Desenvolupament Social i Territorial (INDEST), 25001 Lleida, Spain
| | - Verónica Estrada-Plana
- Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain; (M.S.-P.); (N.V.-B.); (V.E.-P.); (J.M.-L.)
- Institut de Desenvolupament Social i Territorial (INDEST), 25001 Lleida, Spain
| | - Núria Guzmán
- Atención, Familia, Infancia, Mayores (AFIM21), 04005 Almería, Spain;
| | | | - Xesca Garcia
- Asociación PROSEC Promotora Social, 25002 Lleida, Spain;
| | - Rosa Ayesa-Arriola
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Research Group on Mental Illnesses, Valdecilla Biomedical Research Institute (IDIVAL), 39011 Santander, Spain
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain
| | - Jaume March-Llanes
- Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain; (M.S.-P.); (N.V.-B.); (V.E.-P.); (J.M.-L.)
- Institut de Desenvolupament Social i Territorial (INDEST), 25001 Lleida, Spain
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Vita-Barrull N, March-Llanes J, Guzmán N, Estrada-Plana V, Mayoral M, Moya-Higueras J. The Cognitive Processes Behind Commercialized Board Games for Intervening in Mental Health and Education: A Committee of Experts. Games Health J 2022; 11:414-424. [PMID: 36094826 DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2022.0109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The use of modern board games has been growing past years in education, research, and mental health attendance. Often one professional selects games by his/her criteria depending on his/her objective with them. We evaluated the cognitive processes inherent to each modern board game to obtain a consensus of the cognitive profile of each. We explain how to choose the most suitable board games in future interventions. Materials and Methods: Fifteen education, mental health, and neuroscience research professionals with board games experience participated in an online assessment of 27 modern board games. Experts received a virtual neuroeducation formation and played the games selection for further analysis. Participants answered a Likert scale about 12 cognitive processes activated with each game. Results: All modern board games obtained a high level of agreement (intraclass correlation [ICC] > 0.75). Besides, most cognitive processes reached a high agreement, except for cognitive flexibility and problem-solving (moderate range: 0.5 > ICC > 0.75). Differentiated cognitive profiles have been obtained for each game, some of which could work on more than one cognitive domain at a time. Finally, initial evidence about which board game mechanisms activate with cognitive domain was found. Conclusion: To conclude, this expert consensus methodology became a useful tool for assessing the cognitive profile behind modern board and card games. The results obtained may facilitate the choice of games to be used in future studies depending on the objective cognitive domain to be trained under a criterion based on the observations of a group of experts and not just the researcher's individual criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Vita-Barrull
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Mercurio Distribuciones, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Jaume March-Llanes
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Núria Guzmán
- Atención, Familia, Infancia, Mayores (AFIM21), Almería, Spain
| | - Verónica Estrada-Plana
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Maria Mayoral
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research Network on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Moya-Higueras
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research Network on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
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García-Navarro C, Company-Córdoba R, Sianes A, Ibáñez-Alfonso JA. Cognitive Intervention Programs in Minors Belonging to Disadvantaged Contexts in Spain: A Systematic Review. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9091306. [PMID: 36138615 PMCID: PMC9497464 DOI: 10.3390/children9091306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Research studies show a strong influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on human development, and how the exposure to risk contexts in the earliest stages translates into dangers in the cognitive development of children and adolescents. To alleviate these consequences and favour development, different cognitive training programs have contributed to this field by identifying the criteria of efficacy. This systematic review identifies and synthesizes the evidence of cognitive intervention studies implemented with psychosocial risk groups carried out in Spain. The search strategy was adapted to different databases. Only studies published in English or Spanish and developed in Spain that included interventions applied in populations aged 5 to 18 years with a low SES were included. The analysis of the literature showed nine interventions that indicated an improvement in those cognitive functions worked with low SES children. The cognitive domains that most worked were executive functions, followed by social cognition and language. After reviewing the available literature, a clear scarcity of interventions carried out in Spain was observed. Variables such as age, cognitive functions or personal vulnerability were identified as factors to be taken into account in future lines of research due to their influence on minors. These findings indicate the relevance of this review to help decision-making in relation to the actions to be carried out by the competent bodies in Spain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen García-Navarro
- Research Institute on Policies for Social Transformation, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Rosalba Company-Córdoba
- Human Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 41704 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Antonio Sianes
- Research Institute on Policies for Social Transformation, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-957-222-100 (ext. 2220)
| | - Joaquín A. Ibáñez-Alfonso
- Human Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 41704 Sevilla, Spain
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