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Cognitive Skills and Coping

Nancy Doyle MSc C. Psychol. AfBPsS

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Clinical support for condition:

medication; movement; physical & emotional symptoms

HR support around performance, appraisal, job

redesignReas

onab

le

Adju

stm

ents

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Acquired Brain Injury

Neurodiversity

Thyroid conditions

Menopause

Neurological health conditions

e.g. MS, CFS, Parkinson’s

Stress, depression and anxiety

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Cognitive Skills, or ‘Executive Functions’ (EF)• Working Memory• Time & Planning• Attention and

Concentration• Inhibition Control

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“I’m not coping” “I can’t tell w

hich w

ay is up”“I’m overwhelmed”

“I can’t think straight”

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Cognitive Skills support: working

memory; concentration;

organisation and time

HR support around performance, appraisal, job

redesign

Clinical support for condition:

medication; movement; physical

symptoms

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Cognitive

Skills

HR support

Clinical support

Coping

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How can we improve cognitive skills?

see Dunning et al. (2013).

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Henri Tajfel and John C. Turner“Social Identity Theory”

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Albert Bandura

“Social Cognitive Learning Theory”

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• Knowledge transfer

• Self Awareness

“Verbal persuasion”

• Vicarious Learning

• Role models

“Social modelling” • Mastery

experiences

“Self-efficacy”

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Can Cognitive Skills be improved

via training or coaching?

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• 6 months including family members• Crossover design• Improvements across a wide range of memory tests

Moro et al. 2012

• 6 months including family members• Crossover design• Improvements across a wide range of EF tests

Moro et al. 2015

• 4 training sessions, no practice or mastery opportunities

• Some success in early intervention group onlyCraik et al.

2007

Direct coaching / training for executive functions in MCI

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Moro et al. 2012

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Moro et al. 2015

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Green

Red

Black

Orange

The Stroop test

Blue

Pink

Yellow

Brown

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The Tower of London test

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Moro et al. 2015

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• 10 day intensive course• Memory, attentional switching, mood and anxietyChambers

et al. 2008

• 8 weeks 24 hrs total time• Working memory and PANAS• Big difference between high and low practice

Jha et al. 2010

• 4 “sessions” meditation training (book reading control)• Not significant on working memory• Significant changes in anxiety , fatigue and other memory

Zeidan et al. 2010

Using meditation / mindfulness to improve cognitive skills and affect

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Jha et al. 2010

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Year Age sample size

WM deficit?

SCLT Score

MC Y or N teaching methods used

P value of working memory

Zeidan et al. 2010working

age 63 None 3 Y facilitated meditation workshops p=.27

Craik et al. 2007 older 49Age related WM deficit 3 N

group training knowledge transfer with practice and de-briefing NS

Jha et al. 2010working

age 60 Stress 3 Y mindfulness workshops plus coaching p<.01

Moro et al. 2015 older 30Age related

MCI 4 Ycognitive training with personalised follow up to coach strategies p= .027

Chambers et al. 2007

working age 20 None 3 Y mindfulness workshops p<.01

Moro et al. 2012 older 30Age related

MCI 4 Ycognitive training with personalised follow up to coach strategies p=.04

Alloway & Warner 2008 children 20 100% DCD 4 n/k

physical coaching to perform fine and gross motor tasks p=.02

Ariës et al. 2015young adults 92 none 4 Y

computerised n-back and IMPROVE w/ group peer coaching to learn MC p<.001

Ariës et al. 2015young adults 63 none 4 Y

computerised n-back and IMPROVE w/ group peer coaching to learn MC p<.001

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Difference between groups and 1:1?

Baseline T2 T37.5

8

8.5

9

9.5

10

10.5

1:1controlgroup

ANCOVA at T3 controlling for Baseline differences

F (2,39)= 5.275, p = .027

Partial η2 = .12

Both 1:1 and group different from control, however group more significant

Are groups better?

T2 compared to baseline: groups Not SignificantT3 compared to baseline: group Not SignificantT2 compared to baseline: 1:1 Not SignificantT3 compared to baseline: 1:1 t (10) = 4.194, p = .002, d = 1.26

Baseline T2 T31

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

1:1controlgroup

Between groups One Way ANOVA @ T3F (2,32)= 5.495, p = .009

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Increased meta-

cognition & meta-memorySocial support and stimulus

Reduced stress and anxiety

How can we bring group training

into ‘reasonable adjustments’?