A new scientific paper I produced along with Sarah Cassidy and other colleagues, published in the journal Learning and Individual Differences, shows that significant increases in general intelligence,
of 28 points on average, can be produced by undertaking online
relational skills training. Furthermore, significant improvements in
overall educational aptitude can be achieved by a few months of
practicing one's relational skills.
In previous blogs, I have outlined the rationale behind this training and argued that a Relational Frame Theory (RFT) approach to intellectual development may hold the key to a functional approach to brain
training. That is, RFT claims to have identified some basic building
blocks of intellectual development, which center around the ability to
understand complex inter-relations among stimuli. For example, understanding
that if something is opposite to two other things, then those two
things must be the same as each other, involves a relation skill. As
another example, if one object is worth more than another, the second
one is worth less than the first. The idea that these skills not only
underlie intelligence, but constitute it, is core to RFT, a modern
behavioral approach, although it sits well with more mainstream cognitive approaches.
While most of us are relatively proficient in basic relational
skills, we are actually quite deficient in solving more complex
relational problems. To address this deficiency, a form of online brain
training called SMART training (Strengthening mental abilities with
relational training) was developed by Relational Frame Theory
researchers at Maynooth University.
The Cassidy et al. study is the second such study to be published by the Maynooth University team
to show that SMART training can increase general intelligence as
measured by standardized IQ tests, such as the Wechsler Intelligence
Scale for Children (WISC). This new study, however, provides additional
evidence that scholastic ability, as measured by a gold standard
aptitude test known as the Differential Aptitude Test (DATs), also
increases as a result of this very particular form of intellectual
skills training.
As documented in previous research,
the IQ rises cannot be easily accounted for by practice at the IQ test,
because the IQ test was administered only twice, with a several month
interval between administrations. Furthermore, IQ rises due to practice
are usually very small compared to the rises reported in this latest
study. Further still, the training administered to the sample of 11-12
year old children employed in Experiment 1 of this study, was dissimilar
to an IQ test. The same applies to the DATs aptitude test. This was
administered only twice, and the increases in scores observed for
numerical and verbal reasoning far outstripped the increases expected by
practice at the test itself. Once again, the online relational skills
training did not in any way teach the items on the DATs test.
training” treat as the benchmark for acceptable brain training; the
transfer of skills from the training to other tasks. In this regard the
Cassidy study provides more evidence that brain training can work to
enhance essential intellectual skills, at least if it focuses on
relational skills, or what RFT researchers call Arbitrarily Applicable Relational Responding.
A common criticism of brain training is that while it may improve some cognitive
skills needed to complete the training, any benefits may have no
practical relevance to daily life. In the current study, however, a
sample of 30 14-15 year old children were tracked across several months
of online training, 2-3 times per week for 30-45 minutes. Practice at
relational skills, increased their numerical and verbal reasoning
abilities, as measured by the DATs (administered and scored by
independent third parties) by a significant degree. Together these
numerical indices are used by educators to assess a child’s overall
“educational aptitude”, which is the child’s ability to perform well in
school across the board. By finding a significant increase in scholastic
ability, the current study suggests that SMART relational skills
training can make a real and measurable difference to the educability of
a child.
While more evidence is always required when such promising results
are reported by any new brain training method, the case is mounting that
a relational frame theory approach to intellectual development may
indeed have identified some basic building blocks of intelligence, once
thought to be an unchangeable trait.
of 28 points on average, can be produced by undertaking online
relational skills training. Furthermore, significant improvements in
overall educational aptitude can be achieved by a few months of
practicing one's relational skills.
Source: Bryan Roche
training. That is, RFT claims to have identified some basic building
blocks of intellectual development, which center around the ability to
understand complex inter-relations among stimuli. For example, understanding
that if something is opposite to two other things, then those two
things must be the same as each other, involves a relation skill. As
another example, if one object is worth more than another, the second
one is worth less than the first. The idea that these skills not only
underlie intelligence, but constitute it, is core to RFT, a modern
behavioral approach, although it sits well with more mainstream cognitive approaches.
While most of us are relatively proficient in basic relational
skills, we are actually quite deficient in solving more complex
relational problems. To address this deficiency, a form of online brain
training called SMART training (Strengthening mental abilities with
relational training) was developed by Relational Frame Theory
researchers at Maynooth University.
The Cassidy et al. study is the second such study to be published by the Maynooth University team
to show that SMART training can increase general intelligence as
measured by standardized IQ tests, such as the Wechsler Intelligence
Scale for Children (WISC). This new study, however, provides additional
evidence that scholastic ability, as measured by a gold standard
aptitude test known as the Differential Aptitude Test (DATs), also
increases as a result of this very particular form of intellectual
skills training.
As documented in previous research,
the IQ rises cannot be easily accounted for by practice at the IQ test,
because the IQ test was administered only twice, with a several month
interval between administrations. Furthermore, IQ rises due to practice
are usually very small compared to the rises reported in this latest
study. Further still, the training administered to the sample of 11-12
year old children employed in Experiment 1 of this study, was dissimilar
to an IQ test. The same applies to the DATs aptitude test. This was
administered only twice, and the increases in scores observed for
numerical and verbal reasoning far outstripped the increases expected by
practice at the test itself. Once again, the online relational skills
training did not in any way teach the items on the DATs test.
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This is the second SMART study to achieve what critics of “brain training” treat as the benchmark for acceptable brain training; the
transfer of skills from the training to other tasks. In this regard the
Cassidy study provides more evidence that brain training can work to
enhance essential intellectual skills, at least if it focuses on
relational skills, or what RFT researchers call Arbitrarily Applicable Relational Responding.
A common criticism of brain training is that while it may improve some cognitive
skills needed to complete the training, any benefits may have no
practical relevance to daily life. In the current study, however, a
sample of 30 14-15 year old children were tracked across several months
of online training, 2-3 times per week for 30-45 minutes. Practice at
relational skills, increased their numerical and verbal reasoning
abilities, as measured by the DATs (administered and scored by
independent third parties) by a significant degree. Together these
numerical indices are used by educators to assess a child’s overall
“educational aptitude”, which is the child’s ability to perform well in
school across the board. By finding a significant increase in scholastic
ability, the current study suggests that SMART relational skills
training can make a real and measurable difference to the educability of
a child.
While more evidence is always required when such promising results
are reported by any new brain training method, the case is mounting that
a relational frame theory approach to intellectual development may
indeed have identified some basic building blocks of intelligence, once
thought to be an unchangeable trait.
