Applied Neuropsychology: Child

ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/hapc20

Inhibitory control stimulation in elementary

school children through digital games: A
systematic mapping study

Bernardo Benites Cerqueira , Débora Nice Ferrari Barbosa , João Batista

Mossmann , Caroline de Oliveira Cardoso & Jorge Luis Victória Barbosa

To cite this article: Bernardo Benites Cerqueira , Débora Nice Ferrari Barbosa , João Batista
Mossmann , Caroline de Oliveira Cardoso & Jorge Luis Victória Barbosa (2020): Inhibitory control
stimulation in elementary school children through digital games: A systematic mapping study,
Applied Neuropsychology: Child, DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2020.1843040

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/21622965.2020.1843040

Published online: 09 Nov 2020.

Submit your article to this journal

Article views: 5

View related articles

View Crossmark data

Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at

https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=hapc20
APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: CHILD
https://doi.org/10.1080/21622965.2020.1843040

Inhibitory control stimulation in elementary school children through digital

games: A systematic mapping study
Bernardo Benites Cerqueiraa , De
bora Nice Ferrari Barbosaa , Jo~ao Batista Mossmannb , Caroline de
Oliveira Cardoso c

ria Barbosad
, and Jorge Luis Victo
a
Cultural Diversity and Social Inclusion Graduate Program, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil; bCreative and Technological Sciences
Institute, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil; cPsychology Graduate Program, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil; dApplied
Computing Graduate Program, University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos, S~ao Leopoldo, Brazil

ABSTRACT KEYWORDS
The inhibitory control is a component of the executive functions that allows the individual to Children; digital games;
inhibit inadequate behaviors, resist distractions and select a relevant stimulus when executing inhibitory control;
activities. In the neuropsychology field, evidences of stimulation and improvement of the inhibi- neuropsychological inter-
vention; school intervention
tory control through school interventions is sought by using computerized software, such as
digital games. These research studies constitute an important investigation area within the execu-
tive functions in ecological approaches. This paper presents a systematic mapping study on inhibi-
tory control stimulation in elementary school children with the use of digital games. The
investigation encompassed an automated database search with further backward snowballing pro-
cedure with the final selection for additional publications as research strategy. The automated
search considered six databases: SCOPUS, PubMed, IEEE Explore Digital Library, ACM Library,
Springer Link, and Scielo. The initial database search found 641 works published between 2014
and 2019. After the exclusion and inclusion criteria were considered, three publications related to
digital games or mobile applications were found and selected for analysis, which focused on
inhibitory control or correlated processes stimulation in school-based interventions with elemen-
tary school children. Results indicated that investigations within the field are incipient, pointing to
an emerging research area.

Introduction development, but also for their professional and academic

Individuals are asked from an early age to control their
behavior and the way they express their emotions, to think
of alternatives to solve problems, for example, during a
game or in their social interactions. In the early years of for-
mal schooling, they are asked to work independently to
complete projects, and must organize and plan to meet
goals. In addition, academic or social success will depend on
how easily they can organize, prioritize, memorize and
manipulate information or inhibit inappropriate behavior.
That is, as childhood is a highly sensitive period, it is essen-
tial that children can develop or improve such skills (Center
on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2011;
Hughes, 2011, Meltzer, 2014). These essential skills are
called “Executive Functions,” which is an interrelated group
of cognitive skills that serves to regulate and control human
behavior, in order to achieve specific goals. Other authors
define them as an umbrella term for functions that are
essential for managing goals and tasks (Chan et al., 2008;
M€ uller et al., 2008). These skills are essential in several
aspects, not only for individual’s mental health and cognitive
lives (Diamond, 2013; Tourinho et al., 2016).
Several theoretical models seek to clarify the structure of
the executive functions (Diamond, 2013; Fisk & Sharp, 2004;
Miyake et al., 2000). For Diamond (2013), the inhibitory
control, working memory and cognitive flexibility are the
main components that allow children to manage daily activ-
ities. Based on this core, more complex cognitive skills are
formed, such as reasoning, problem solving and planning.
Research studies demonstrated that the maturation of the
executive functions occurs since the early years of life
(Bernier et al., 2010), and strengthens significantly during
childhood (Best & Miller, 2010).
The present study focuses on the inhibitory control,
which allows individuals to inhibit inappropriate or irrele-
vant behaviors, resist distractions and select the relevant
stimulus during the execution of activities. Also, the compo-
nent can be divided into response inhibition and interfer-
ence control. The first is characterized by inhibiting
inappropriate behavior or resisting to the initial response or
the first response impulse; also known as self-control, or the
ability to resist the dominant temptation/desire/response.
The latter refers to inhibiting thoughts or memories

CONTACT Bernardo Benites Cerqueira bernardobenites@hotmail.com Feevale University, 2755 075, RS-239 – Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS93525-
075, Brazil.
ß 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
2 B. B. CERQUEIRA ET AL.
(cognitive inhibition) and to the interference or environ-
mental distractors control (selective or focused attention)
(Diamond, 2013).
Moreover, the inhibitory control relates to the individu-
als’ ability to wait and respond thoughtfully rather than
reactively or impulsively, which may lead to uncomfortable
social situations, therefore resisting to the temptation of
behaving inappropriately (Diamond & Ling, 2016).
Impairments or deficits in this executive component are
known to be correlated to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) (Fosco et al., 2019) and Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD) (Christ et al., 2007).
Researchers have been interested in understanding and
proposing interventions that promote and improve executive
functions during childhood (Barnett et al., 2008; Cardoso
et al., 2019; Dias & Seabra, 2015; Klingberg et al., 2005;
Mackey et al., 2011; Thorell et al., 2009). The proposed
interventions occurred in different contexts and involved
several methods, including computerized cognitive training,
computerized and non-computerized games, aerobic exer-
cises, martial arts and mindfulness activities, curricular and
complementary programs (Diamond & Lee, 2011).
The use of computerized programs, in which digital
games are included, have shown that such programs are
effective for children with ADHD (Klingberg et al., 2005)
and for preschoolers with typical development (Thorell
et al., 2009). A meta-analysis by Takacs & Kassai (2019)
sought to synthesize available empirical evidences regarding
the effectiveness of different intervention types in children’s
executive functions, which included different approaches.
Although the authors found evidences that it was possible to
train children’s executive function skills, further follow-up
assessments did not find convincing evidence that the bene-
fits from the interventions were sustained over time.
Regarding computerized working memory programs,
Melby-Lervåg & Hulme (2013) and Melby-Lervåg et al.
(2016) found out that training with CogmedV had immedi-
R
ate significative effects in verbal and visuospatial working
memory in children. However, the benefits of interventions
with computerized programs, specifically in regards of trans-
ference effects and generalization gains still have to be estab-
lished (Diamond & Ling, 2016; Melby-Lervåg & Hulme,
2013). Melby-Lervåg & Hulme (2013) showed that working
memory training did not improve inhibitory control in chil-
dren, while Melby-Lervåg et al.(2016) did not find evidences
of long-term benefits in verbal working memory, but only
significative effect in visuospatial working memory in a fol-
low-up assessment.
Computer programs are attractive because they reduce
the need for additional human resources and motivate the
participants (Cruz et al., 2013). In addition, some may auto-
matically adapt to the children’s performance throughout
the training in regards to the difficulty level of each task, for
instance (Cardoso et al., 2018; Klingberg et al., 2005).
Besides promoting the development of cognitive aspects,
digital games enable the players themselves to actively par-
ticipate in the learning process. As a result, a more enjoy-
able, interesting and motivating process takes place (Prins
et al., 2011). Thus, the players are proactively involved in
the learning process through the digital game, and may
interact with the information (Lieberman, 2006).
Furthermore, cognitive stimulation through technology and
digital games qualify the classrooms as ecologically valid
environments in search for evidence and innovative pro-
posals within the research fields addressed.
Most computer programs available in the literature work
with the category of working memory stimulation (Cardoso
et al., 2018). Interventions that aim at stimulating the inhibi-
tory control through digital games in school-based interven-
tions are still introductory, as most of this type of
intervention are focused on the working memory compo-
nent (Cardoso et al., 2018; Diamond & Ling, 2016). This
article proposes a systematic mapping study, to characterize
empirical studies on school-based computerized interven-
tions that aim to stimulate the inhibitory control in elemen-
tary school children, as well as their designs, methods and
main outcomes.
Systematic mapping studies observe emerging research
areas and specific topics within a wider area (Perryman,
2016) with purpose of answering specific research questions
raised prior to the search process. The publications are
selected considering inclusion and exclusion criteria and fur-
ther analyzed. Systematic mapping studies are often used in
other fields, such as information systems or software engin-
eering (Jalali & Wohlin, 2010), medical and related health
research (Fernandez et al., 2015; Fernandez-Sotos et al.,
2019). This research seeks to map recent publications
focused in the inhibitory control stimulation involving
digital games or mobile applications in school-based inter-
ventions with elementary school children, from 5 to 11 years
old. Hence, our objective is to indicate gaps, provide insights
on this area of study, and raise suggestions for future work.
No recent systematic mapping study has been found within
the scope proposed here. Finally, systematic mapping studies
differs from other literature reviews or meta-analysis types
(Perryman, 2016). They are closer to scoping reviews,
although much broader than the latter.
The present study investigated the following hypothesis:
that the use of digital games in the context of a neuro-
psychological intervention program in the school environ-
ment can contribute to the stimulation of the inhibitory
control of elementary school children and may transfer to
untrained skills. In terms of effectiveness it is expected that
most interventions would prove to have positive outcomes
in the participating children such as improved cognitive and
academic development, both within the stimulation group
(intragroup analysis) and in the comparison between the
stimulation and control groups (intergroup analysis).
Background
The inhibitory control is responsible for many aspects of an
individual’s life, along with the other components of the
executive functions. Diamond and Ling (2020) promotes the
importance of stimulating and improving the executive
functions, linking them to aspects such as temptation

resisting in order to complete tasks, avoid saying or doing
later regrettable actions, presence of mind to wait before
speaking or acting, being able to resist impulsive reactions,
creative problem solving and seizing unexpected
opportunities.
The executive functions are critical for school readiness,
academic performance, career success, socio affective func-
tioning, marital harmony, good health and quality of life
(Diamond & Ling, 2020). However, an investigation by
Miller et al. (2011) found out that youths which had poorer
development of the executive functions, specifically the
inhibitory control, were exponentially more likely to suffer
from adverse health conditions, while other longitudinal
study (Moffitt et al., 2011) demonstrated that adults that
had poorer inhibitory control in childhood were more likely
to experience drug addiction, single parenthood and to com-
mit more crimes than those with better inhibitory control as
children. According to Diamond and Ling (2020), research
suggests that early executive function gains can reduce
aforementioned issues, as well as antisocial or inappropriate
behaviors, and that enhancing executive development early
in life is critical to children’s trajectory.
Although, there are controversies regarding the effective-
ness of the stimulation through computerized programs, as
well as in the methodologies employed (Alves & Silva, 2017)
and in the reproduction of the results in other studies
(Holmes et al., 2009). The authors indicate that such contra-
dictions are evidenced in the adaptive issues that are over-
looked in the cognitive stimulation programs. One of the
aspects that maintains the statement above is the transfer
effect. In other words, benefits attained from stimulating a
skill in a certain scenario must also be observable elsewhere.
A behavioral investigation before and after the execution of
the proposed task should be conducted and the skill gains
should also appear in the performance of other untrained
daily tasks. The development of such stimulation programs
should be aligned with the promotion of the adaptive func-
tioning of the individuals as a whole, and not only applied
to the activities practiced and evaluated (Diamond &
Ling, 2016).
A meta-analysis by Kassai et al. (2019) investigate the
topic of near and far transfer effect in neuropsychological
interventions with children, although no strong evidences
were found that training a specific executive function would
transfer to untrained executive components. Moreover,
results from investigations by Melby-Lervåg and Hulme
(2013) and Sala and Gobet (2017) have found no significant
transfer effect from working memory training to inhibitory
control in children participants, while Volckaert and No€el
(2015) have shown preliminary results of marginal transfer
effect between inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility.
Kassai et al. (2019) highlighted that the latter investigation
results could have been impacted due to the similarity
between the outcome measures and the game activities prac-
ticed by the children participants.
The possibilities of stimulation of the executive functions
through computerized programs, including digital games,
have been reported previously (Diamond & Ling, 2016,
APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: CHILD 3
2020). However, regarding the inhibitory control, the inves-
tigations do not clarify whether or not inhibitory control
skills are possible to train and stimulate, having transfer
effects to untrained skills. Another recent meta-analysis by
Takacs and Kassai (2019) investigated different types of
interventions with children, such as computerized and non-
computerized training, cognitively engaging physical
activities, mindfulness meditation and curricula involving
executive skills, art activities, biofeedback-enhanced relax-
ation and strategy teaching interventions. According to the
authors, the explicit executive function training results were
similar when using computerized and non-computerized
training. The studies with computerized training in the
meta-analysis included Cogmed, Braingame Brian, Memory
Booster, Jungle Memory, Mate Marote and LocuTour
Multimedia Cognitive Rehabilitation. Significative effects in
working memory were found in comparison with inhibitory
control and cognitive flexibility, although the authors high-
light that it was due to the fact that most of the studies
sought explicit training working memory using Cogmed.
Besides, the effects on working memory were maintained
over time. Another interesting result is that explicit training
was significantly lower for atypical development children
group, when compared to the typical development children.
In regards of the use of computerized training in the
school context, a literature review by Cardoso et al. (2018)
demonstrated that most of the computer programs used in
school-based interventions with children available aimed for
stimulating the working memory (Cardoso et al., 2018).
Besides CogmedV, another noncommercial computerized
R
game that was reported in investigations is called Braingame
Brian, which is aimed for stimulating the executive functions
in children with ADHD and cognitive control problems. No
transfer effect to untrained domains was found in the stud-
ies with these computerized games.
Thus, it is observed that the effects of interventions
focused exclusively on the inhibitory component would
benefit from a specific observation, in order to seek for the
evidences and impacts available in recent studies in school-
based intervention programs.
Method
This paper proposes a systematic mapping study through an
automated database search with complementary backward
snowballing technique on the final sample. The guidelines
for systematic mapping studies proposed by Petersen, et al.
(2015), were followed: (1) definition of research questions;
(2) delimitation of the search process; (3) definition of
exclusion criteria; (4) analysis of the results. The final sam-
ple of this process, after the exclusion criteria was applied,
was used in a variation of the backward snowballing proced-
ure (Wohlin, 2014). This complementary procedure was
used to track publications that could have been missed dur-
ing the initial database search.
4 B. B. CERQUEIRA ET AL.
Table 1. Research questions.
Id Question
GQ1 How the digital games for cognitive stimulation were applied to children in the school context?
GQ2 What kind of platforms were used in stimulation applications?
GQ3 Were digital games developed in the academic research context?
GQ4 What strategies were used to measure the intended results?
FQ1 Do these applications focus on stimulating the inhibitory control?
FQ2 Have the digital games been validated by specialists before being used in applications aimed at cognitive stimulation?
EQ1 What are the stimulation outcomes in the publications?
Figure 1. Graph representing the data-filtering process applied to the results from the automated database search.
Research questions
The research process was based on three groups of questions:
General Questions (GQ), Focal Questions (FQ), and Evidence
Questions (EQ), which were categorized as per Table 1.
Eligibility criteria
Studies were considered eligible when the following criteria
was met: (1) the study included computerized games or
mobile applications in their interventions for stimulation or
training; (2) focused on the inhibitory control or correlated
cognitive processes for stimulation and assessment, being
this the main cognitive interest in the research; (3) the pro-
posed method had at least one quantitative psychometric
strategy used to verify and measure the results and cognitive
outcomes, rather than only qualitative-focused interviews;
(4) the study had performed school-based interventions to
train or stimulate the inhibitory control or correlated cogni-
tive processes; (5) involved elementary school children from
5 to 11 years old as participants, in line with the Brazilian
elementary school system (this study authors’ country).
Studies that had participants in different ages, but involved
children within the elementary school age range, were con-
sidered for inclusion; (6) the study was empirical, with at
least two groups for comparison, designed as randomized
controlled trial (RCT) or quasi-experimental pretest-posttest
study and (7) the study was peer reviewed;
Search process
The search string used in this research was based on specific
keywords separated according to their interest groups. The
following groups were defined: technological product type;
application or scholar intervention type; desired target age
Category
Intervention
Platform
Development
Psychometry
Cognitive skill
Validation
Evidence
group; and specific cognitive component. Based on this pro-
cess, the following search string was created:
((“video game” OR “videogame” OR “mobile game” OR
“mobile application”) AND (school OR intervention OR
application OR “school intervention” OR “school program”
OR “school curriculum” OR “neuropsychological inter-
vention”) AND (child OR children OR childhood) AND
(“cognitive stimulation” OR “cognitive stimuli” OR
“inhibitory control” OR inhibition))
The string was applied across six databases: SCOPUS1,
PubMed2, IEEE Explore Digital Library3, ACM Digital
Library4, Springer Link5, and Scielo6. The results included
publications from 2014 to 2019. PubMed is the database
that stands out as a literary base in the health context,
whereas the other databases were considered due to their
relevance in the technology field.
Result filters
The following inclusion criteria (IC) were used to filter the
results: IC1 – work published between 2014 and 2019; IC2 –
work involving digital games or mobile applications; IC3 –
text published in the full version; IC4– article published in a
conference, workshop or journal.
In addition, the following exclusion criteria (EC) were used
as a second filter: EC1 – duplicated works; EC2 – works that
did not address inhibitory control nor correlated cognitive
processes; EC3 – works that did not use quantitative psycho-
metric strategies to verify the results; EC4 – works that did not
1
SCOPUS – Retrieved from: https://www.scopus.com/
2
PubMed – Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
3
IEEE Explore Digital Library – Retrieved from: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/
4
ACM Digital Library – Retrieved from: https://dl.acm.org/
5
Springer Link Base – Retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/
6
Scielo Base – Retrieved from: https://www.scielo.org/

carry out school–based applications; EC5 – works that did not
involve children between five and eleven years old.
Figure 1 shows the filtering process, with the initial
results and after the application of the exclusion criteria.
The search string was applied to the title, abstract, and
keywords of publications within each database. Singular and
plural variations of the keywords were used in the search
string, producing the initial results. Figure 1 synthesizes and
depicts the database search process, which took place as fol-
lows: after the initial search was performed, filters EC1 and
EC2 were applied in order to address works that carried out
investigations in inhibitory control and correlated cognitive
processes. Subsequently, Keshav’s (2007) three-step tech-
nique was adopted: (1) reading the title, abstract and intro-
duction, going through sections and subsections titles,
mathematical elements (if any) and conclusions. During this
first step, the other exclusion criteria (EC3, EC4, and EC5)
were applied. After the first step, the other two were carried
out: (2) analysis of figures, diagrams or illustrations analysis;
and (3) reading the remaining articles in full.
Study selection
The research questions and the eligibility criteria of this
study were formulated in consensus among all authors. The
first author performed the automated database search and
filtered the articles, and the three first authors determined
the inclusion eligibility, and, in case of doubt, consulted the
other authors. The full reading of the elected papers was
performed by the first author, and the final decision was
discussed by the first three authors.
Data extraction
The data extraction from each paper was done by one
author, and further discussed by the authors for inclusion.
Once a consensus was reached, they were included in the
study. The data collected from the final selection was then
summarized in order to answer the research questions
defined prior to the database search. The following data
were extracted:

Abstract and bibliographic information

Focused cognitive process and objective

Intervention approach (e.g. randomized controlled trial
or quasi-experimental)

Application strategy (e.g. duration, frequency, number
of sessions)

Psychometric strategies/instruments used

Digital platform used for stimulation

Validity of the digital games/application

Quantitative intervention outcomes
Backward snowballing procedure
The backward snowballing procedure (Wohlin, 2014) was
used in this study as a complementary step to the automated
database search. The final sample from the automated
APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: CHILD 5
database search was used as the initial papers set for the
backward snowballing. In the procedure adopted, the refer-
ences from a starting set of papers were used to search add-
itional publications, which might have been missed during
the database search. In the procedure, every reference found
from the starting set list that matches the inclusion criteria
specified is then added to a new set, and a new iteration is
made in order to find any references that should be
included for the subsequent iteration. This process may go
on until the inclusion and exclusion criteria are met, and in
the case of this work, publications prior to 2014
were discarded.
The process considered the references from the final sam-
ple of papers, including a verification of publication year,
title and type verification. The abstracts of potential candi-
dates were considered, and if inconclusive for inclusion to
the new set of papers, the paper was read in full. The same
inclusion and exclusion criteria defined previously for the
automated database search were used in the backward snow-
balling procedure for the papers to the next iteration inclu-
sion. The iterations resulting of this procedure are further
described in the next section.
Results
Search strategy results
Automated database search
The initial automated database search found a total of 641
publications. From these, pre-selection included 63 publica-
tions within the thematic area, among which the final selec-
tion encompassed three after all filters were applied. Table 2
shows the final sample resulting from the automated search
carried out in the databases.
Backward snowballing
The first iteration of the backward snowballing used the
final sample of the automated search as the starting set of
papers. This procedure used the same eligibility, exclusion
and inclusion criteria as the automated search process.
Figure 2 depicts the search strategy with the results from
each step for filtering the results.
The publication from Li et al. (2018) included 26 biblio-
graphic references, of which three publications were candi-
dates for inclusion based on their title, type and publication
year. A total of 16 references were excluded based on their
publication year. Another eight were discarded based on
their title and publication types. The remaining two referen-
ces were identified as candidates, but their title and context
had insufficient information to determine their inclusion in
the next iteration round. Thus, after reading their abstracts,
one reference was discarded, while one full paper evaluation
was done mainly to examine if it included the school space
and digital games within the investigation procedure.
Finally, references from Li et al (2018) failed the eligibility
evaluation and were excluded from the next iteration round.
The publication from Ramos and Melo (2019) had a total
of 52 references, of which eight references were considered
6 B. B. CERQUEIRA ET AL.

for inclusion after checking the title, type and publication

n ¼ 71 (Train group ¼

¼ 8; Control Group
n ¼ 15 (CPAT Training
Video condition=?)

30; Control group

year. A total of 37 references were excluded based on their

Participants

condition=?;
publication year, and another seven were discarded based on

n ¼ 161 (Game
their title and publication types. The remaining eight refer-

¼ 41)

¼ 7)
ences were identified as candidates, but their title and refer-
ence context had insufficient information to determine their
inclusion in the subsequent iteration round. After reading
their abstracts or summaries, six references were discarded,
Approx 11 min

and two were selected for full reading. These two papers
Session

were subsequently discarded as their experiments included

15 min

45 min
only clinical settings.
In the Spaniol et al. (2018) publication, there were 87
references, from which eight were candidates for the next
iteration after checking the title, type and publication year.
A total of 72 references were discarded based on their publi-
Daily for six weeks
Single application

Twice a week for

Application

cation year. Another seven references were discarded based

two months

on the title and publication types. From the remaining eight

references, two were excluded after reading the abstract. The
last six references were then discarded after full text reading,
as they did not propose school-based interventions, as well
as not using digital games, or had no control group.
Finally, given the publications eligibility criteria discon-
Raven Matrices; CARS;

sidered articles published before 2014, no further iterations

Go-No-Go Task and
Functional near-

Attention Test: D2
Psychometric
instruments

mathematics,

were done, as none of the references cited in the starting set

spectroscopy

reading and
copy tests;

of papers met the eligibility criteria proposed in this study.

infrared

(fNIRS)

The research questions raised in this work are further

discussed in the following sections.

General question 1 – how the digital games for

Intervention methodology

cognitive stimulation were applied to children in the

Experimental and Active
Quasi-experimental  2
randomized groups;

randomized groups;

randomized groups;
Single application  3
experiments with 2

school context?
Control  2

Li et al. (2018) conducted a study with single application

groups for two days, using the digital game Dr. Panda in
Space for mobile devices, such as tablets, with an experi-
mental group. Results were compared with a control group
that saw the digital game recorded in video format on lap-
tops the following day. The participants in the second day
Inhibitory control

would only watch the video, which showed the digital game
scenes in story format, since they could not interact
Focus

Attention

Attention

with them.
A total of 161 children, divided into three different
experiments, participated in the investigation (Li et al.,
2018). These experiments varied in participants number,
with 72, 19, and 72 children, respectively, with ages between
Laptop and Tablet

four and six years. The children were randomized to video

Platform

viewers condition or game players condition. Each experi-

Table 2. Final selection of the results.

ment contained small method variations used by the

Tablet

Data not informed by the authors.

authors, alternating between time spent using laptops and

PC

type of digital game activities played (fantastic or more real-

istic narrative events). Participants in this study (Li et al.,
2018) performed pre and post-neuropsychological tests while
Ramos & Melo (2019)

Spaniol et al. (2018)

wearing a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)

Author and year
Li et al. (2018)

device on brain regions during the second and third experi-

ments to read neural activities and being assisted by the
researchers. The pre and post-tests were done before and
after a single application with the participant.

Figure 2. Graph representing the search strategy process for filtering the results.
Ramos and Melo (2019) carried out a daily quasi-experi-
mental study with 15 minutes of duration for six weeks. In
their study, 71 participants were separated into an experi-
mental group (n ¼ 30) which used the training platform
with digital games from Escola do C
erebroV (Brain School),
R
and a control group (n ¼ 41) which continued their daily
tasks normally in their classroom. Students, who were in the
second and third school years, were between seven and nine
years old. Before being assigned to the experimental or the
control group, the participants went through pre and post-
intervention neuropsychological attention tests. During the
intervention, researchers assisted the participants who
belonged to the experimental group.
Spaniol et al. (2018) investigated experimental and active
control groups for eight weeks, twice a week, 45 minutes per
session. Fifteen children from two different schools, aged
between seven and ten years old participated in the study.
Participants performed pre-intervention tests and then were
matched according to their chronological and cognitive ages,
gender, and intelligence. Subsequently, the participants were
randomly assigned to an experimental group (n ¼ 8), which
used a computerized training program with digital games—
Computerized Progressive Attentional Training (CPAT)—or
an active control group (n ¼ 7), which used the computer
games “Plants vs. Zombies,” “Bejeweled 3,” and “Pacman” for
the same period. Participants were assisted throughout the
program by the researchers. After the intervention, neuro-
psychological post-tests were conducted.
Finally, even though the investigations (Li et al., 2018;
Ramos & Melo, 2019; Spaniol et al., 2018) versed on inhibi-
tory control studies or correlated cognitive processes, and
corroborated the application locus, their application meth-
ods differed. Other investigations (Alves & Silva, 2017;
Diamond & Ling, 2016) have also indicated the existence of
methodological variability in stimulation programs, espe-
cially with the use of computerized games. Further studies
are required for the definition of an optimal application
strategy and psychometric measurement to verify the effect-
iveness of the results.
General question 2 – what kind of platforms were used
in the stimulation applications?
The work of Ramos and Melo (2019) used exclusively
mobile platforms (tablets) for the game’s execution during
APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: CHILD 7
the applications. Li et al. (2018) opted for two platforms,
tablets and laptops, to carry out the interventions in two dif-
ferent variations: laptops only (video watching) and tablets
only (touch screen interaction). Finally, Spaniol et al. (2018)
used only computers, which was an application protocol
used in previous studies.
General question 3 – were digital games developed in
the academic research context?
Among the articles found, two of them used digital games
developed by the research team for the cognitive stimulation
purpose. Ramos and Melo (2019) used the cognitive training
software package with digital games called Escola do
C
erebroV (Brain School), developed at the Santa Catarina
R
Federal University (UFSC) by the research group. In a cog-
nitive training platform format with five digital games, the
program provides feedback to the players on their perform-
ance. Escola do C
erebroV records player’s time, speed, stabil-
R
ity, and accuracy to calculate performance on three
cognitive skills: attention, problem solving, and working
memory. The research (Ramos & Melo, 2019) took place in
the school context with children between seven and nine
years with typical development.
Spaniol et al. (2018) used a program called Computerized
Progressive Attentional Training (CPAT), developed by one
of the authors (Shalev et al., 2007). It is a training program
that presents activities through digital games proposed for
children with typical development. The objective was to find
out if CPAT could be used as a training program in children
with ASD as well as to measure its transfer effect for
untrained skills and cognition. The digital games in this
training software have three activity types in mini-game for-
mat focusing on sustained attention, selective-spatial atten-
tion or executive attention. Each activity is based on
neuropsychological tasks, which were adapted to the digital
games in 2D format esthetics aimed for children between six
and thirteen years old.
Finally, Li et al. (2018) used an digital game called Dr.
Panda in Space. Developed by a Chinese company, Dr.
Panda in Space is a commercial mobile game with a fantasy
theme for children. It is not related to the academic context,
and the mobile application is currently available for sale in
mobile application stores. This digital game is set in a fan-
tastic spatial theme in which the player interacts with several
8 B. B. CERQUEIRA ET AL.
animals in 3 D scenes and goes on adventures focused on
the child’s interaction through activities in a storytelling for-
mat. This digital game has no time limits, rules or score and
its purpose is to allow children to venture into stories and
interact with the narrative and characters to finish the sto-
ries in the form of mini chapters. Although the digital game
has not been developed within the academic research con-
text, this investigation used the game for the neuropsycho-
logical intervention which was carried out within a school
context with typical development children with the objective
of seeking for stimulation evidence.
General question 4 – what strategies were used to
measure the intended results?
Regarding the strategies for the psychometric measurement
of the investigation’s participants, the studies presented dif-
ferent approaches: Li et al. (2018) carried out an investiga-
tion with a dual strategy for measuring the intervention
results, applying the Go-No-Go Task (Wiebe et al., 2012) as
pre and post-test, along with a fNIRS multichannel equip-
ment/system (LABNIRS, Shimadzu), focusing on functional
near-infrared spectroscopy on brain regions.
Spaniol et al. (2018) used various pre and post-tests,
which included an intelligence test—Computerized
Progressive Matrices (CPM) (Raven et al., 2008)—, mathem-
atics, reading, and copying academic tests as well as the
Child Autism Rating Scale (CARS) test (Schopler et al.,
1980). In addition, semi-structured interviews were con-
ducted with teachers and teacher assistants to obtain their
readings on the participant’s performance.
Finally, Ramos and Melo (2019) opted for a specific test
aimed at measuring the participants’ attention, the Attention
Test: D2 (Ara
ujo, 2016), in which the subjects need to
observe a page with several target stimuli and distractors
and only mark the first type.
The next subsection approaches the research focal ques-
tions (FQ), which were defined previously in
“Research questions.”
Focal question 1 – do these applications focus on
stimulating inhibitory control?
The study proposed by Li et al. (2018) looked exclusively at
the participants’ inhibitory control stimulation/training.
Spaniol et al. (2018) and Ramos and Melo (2019) investi-
gated the effects on attention training, focusing on the
related cognitive processes. Although the inhibitory control
was indirectly assessed, the focus was not the compo-
nent itself.
Focal question 2 – have the digital games been
validated by specialists before being used in
applications aimed at cognitive stimulation?
Among the studies found, only the study by Spaniol et al.
(2018) used a game that was validated by specialists, since it
is a cognitive stimulation program that must be applied by
following a specific a protocol. Ramos and Melo (2019) used
a digital game validated only by the target audience (chil-
dren), whereas Li et al. (2018) used a commercial educa-
tional digital game which presented no scientific evidence
on their cognitive stimulation capacity prior to the study
carried out by researchers.
The next subsection approaches the evidence questions
(EQ), which has been defined previously in
“Search questions.”
Evidence question 1 – what are the stimulation
outcomes in the publications?
The investigation by Li et al. (2018) performed three differ-
ent experiments, as mentioned in GQ1: small duration
application variations (in minutes) and digital game activity
types played or viewed (fantastical or more realistic narrative
events). Experiment 1 (n ¼ 72) found that children in the
viewing condition performed worse in sensitivity response
between the pre and post Go-No-Go tasks after viewing fan-
tastical events than children in the game condition. The lat-
ter group perceived the same activities as more realistic due
to interacting with the events. This experiment was per-
formed in within school context.
Experiment 2 (n ¼ 17) (Li et al., 2018) had the same find-
ings as experiment 1, that is, worse sensitivity response for
the viewing condition. The second experiment had a small-
time variation (from eleven to five minutes long video),
changes in the Go-No-Go task (from 64 trials to 40 trials)
and the use of the multichannel fNIRS system in the partici-
pants during the experiment. Data from the fNIRS suggested
that the sensitivity response was significantly lower after
children viewed fantastical events due to a higher processing
that fantasy cognitive demanded in comparison to the inter-
action via touch-screen with the same events in the game
condition. This experiment occurred in a laboratory setting.
Experiment 3 (n ¼ 72) (Li et al., 2018) used the same
planning as the previous experiment, except for the viewing
condition time variation (from five to eleven minutes long
video), and that the events chosen by the researchers were
considered more real events compared to the experiment 2.
Outcomes from both groups suggested an increase in the
inhibitory control on the post-test. The authors did not
mention if this experiment was done within a school or
laboratory setting.
Therefore, the investigation by Li et al. (2018) suggested
that viewing fantastical events may have produced more
negative effects in the inhibitory control than the interaction
with a mobile platform with the same events in the
game condition.
The study by Ramos and Melo (2019) found that the
Training Group (n ¼ 30) showed greater improvement in
pre and posttest (D2 raw score and total score) when com-
pared with the Control Group (n ¼ 41). However, there
were no significant effects on the other variables of the D2:
Attention Test.
Finally, the investigation by Spaniol et al. (2018) found
improvements for untrained skills in the CPAT training

group’s academic tests, such as time-limited math, reading
comprehension and copying speed tests. Also, the non-ver-
bal cognitive assessment (Raven CPM) improved for the
training group. According to the authors, these findings
were either significant or approaching significant at the
ANOVA level. Moreover, all results were significant at the
simple effect level, and the Reliable Change Indices (RCI)
analysis also shown improvement for most participants in
the training group.
Discussion
This work searched for recent investigations, which used
digital games or mobile applications that aimed at stimulat-
ing children’s inhibitory control in school-based interven-
tions, published within a period of six years (between 2014
and 2019). Additionally, this work evaluated the proposed
methodologies and the measures of the neuropsychological
effects in school interventions. The search was conducted
across six recognized databases in the academic context and
the outcomes pointed to a low number of current research
studies that look for evidence of inhibitory control stimula-
tion within a school context, that is, with ecological validity.
Out of 641 articles found in the initial search, with the
previously defined search string, only three fit within all the
criteria established a priori. A variation of the backward
snowballing technique was used as a complementary search
strategy in order to track any possibly missed publications
within the automated database search. In any case, no add-
itional publications were found. One could infer that this
investigation obtained a low result range due to the final
sample of three publications. However, two recent studies in
the field indicate otherwise:
The investigation from Cardoso et al. (2018), for
example, sought for the effectiveness of neuropsychological
stimulation programs in children with typical development.
Eight out of 19 studies used computerized programs, includ-
ing games. However, the studies aimed for different execu-
tive functions other than the inhibitory control or correlated
cognitive processes, thus not fitting the parameters within
this research. This investigation (Cardoso et al., 2018) con-
sidered publications from 2000 to early 2016, included pre-
schoolers and focused on the effectiveness of executive
function programs in general.
A wider recent systematic literature review conducted by
Diamond and Ling (2020) aimed at executive functions pro-
grams with neuropsychological effectivity evidences in gen-
eral found 179 studies. Although the review did not focus
specifically on children, neither on digital games, the authors
reported nine studies for this age range and context. The
authors have not reported any studies with computerized
programs considering the more restrictive parameters used
in the present investigation, such as digital games focused
on the inhibitory control or correlated processes with chil-
dren (5–11 years of age) in school-based interventions. It
also indicated a specificity in the neuropsychology field, and,
furthermore, brought to the discussion an emerging research
area (Diamond & Ling, 2016).
APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: CHILD 9
Spaniol et al. (2018) and Ramos and Melo (2019) also
stated that further investigations should be made within the
school setting context. Both studies indicate the existence of
a gap within the stimulation field for attentional aspects of
the executive functions, within a context that relates to the
participants’ daily lives.
Regarding the final selection, the filtered investigations
addressed children with typical development (Li et al., 2018;
Ramos & Melo, 2019), as well as on the autistic spectrum
(Spaniol et al., 2018). Both publications took place within
school contexts and highlighted the possibilities of cognitive
stimulation through digital games.
Within the research questions, FQ2 presented an issue
regarding the validation of the digital games or mobile
applications. Namely, it refers to the validation and evalu-
ation by specialists in the neuropsychology field, regarding
stimulation activities proposed by the games or applications.
The validation with specialists occurred in one digital game
only (Spaniol et al., 2018) out of the three reported in the
mapping study. Ramos and Melo (2019) used a validated
and evaluated game with the target audience, whereas Li
et al. (2018) used a commercial game that had not been vali-
dated in the academic research context.
Two questions arise from this outcome. First, from the
software development processes point of view, as is the case
with digital games or mobile applications, the interaction
between the tool, or digital game, and the target audience is
especially important. This user-centered development type
can bring up issues with the potential to directly interfere
with the player’s experience and engagement, and may,
therefore, directly affect the results.
The second is the tool, or digital game evaluation, by
experts in the field in which the investigation is proposed to
take place. The evaluation ensures more reliable and safe
tools are selected for the research, as well as for its partici-
pants. This subject is addressed by the Institute of Digital
Media and Child Development Working Group on Games
for Health (Baranowski et al., 2016), in which a group of
researchers, from different areas consider the need and call
for greater collaboration between game designers and health
and behavioral professionals, so that evidence-based behav-
ioral changes in applications are guaranteed. For example,
has the digital game or application been validated by neuro-
psychology experts from the area which the tool is designed
to train? Is the digital game or computerized program suit-
able for the cognitive stimulation of the proposed tar-
get groups?
Furthermore, regarding the intervention outcomes,
Spaniol et al. (2018) reported near and far-transfer effects
from inhibitory control training to untrained skills, such as
academic and non-verbal cognitive performance for the par-
ticipant children in both groups—training and active con-
trol. Although, Li et al. (2018) and Ramos & Melo (2019)
did not report transference effects in post-intervention tests.
Since the investigation by Spaniol et al. (2018) focused spe-
cifically on ASD diagnosed participants and used a larger set
of psychometric tests, the difference between studies’ results
should be taken into consideration. Although, it was not
10 B. B. CERQUEIRA ET AL.
possible to draw conclusions on the possibility of far-trans-
fer effect to untrained abilities through inhibitory control
stimulation within the investigations found in this mapping
study, as most of these studies did not mention far-trans-
fer effect.
The present research presents limitations related to: (a) the
search string selection in different research fields, and (b) publi-
cations that addressed digital games still under research or
development have not been included. The search string used in
this search, with keywords variations in singular and plural
forms in the six databases, was created generically, and it does
not fit each thematic area specifically. This aspect may have
interfered with the results found in specific areas indexes,
namely, keywords generally used in the physical education field
for cognitive stimulation programs.
Concerning the games addressed, because of the specifi-
city of this investigation, publications that described digital
games with research still under development have not been
selected, as they would not have a post intervention phase
described. Thus, an investigation approaching games aimed
at the inhibitory control stimulation in a general context
should be considered in regards to their conception proc-
esses, development and evaluation by specialists. Games
aimed for research may take several years to be developed
depending on their complexity, and further neuropsycho-
logical intervention and assessments are done only when the
development of the game is finished. Thus, a survey or
review on these subjects may approach the current research
game development status in the research field.
The present work has the following strengths: (1) initial
evidence that works in the research field using digital games
or mobile applications aimed at children with applications
in ecological environments, specifically in the school context,
are still incipient; and (2) the investigations that presented
the lower number of results were specifically with children
aged between five and eleven years old.
This investigation identified a gap in the area of digital
games or mobile applications aimed at stimulating inhibitory
control and focused on children in school-based interventions.
Between 2014 and 2019, three works from the six designated
databases met the established criteria. The parameters involved:
digital games or mobile applications; addressed inhibitory con-
trol or correlated processes; used quantitative psychometric
strategies to verify results; involved elementary school children;
and happened within the school context. For future studies,
these criteria could be united in a school-based neuropsycho-
logical intervention using digital games or mobile applications,
which should be carried out to discover their effects and effect-
iveness in the target group.
Finally, this work aims at contributing to the emerging
discussions about interventions with digital games in eco-
logically valid environments, considering application and
measurement of cognitive results in the participants.
Acknowledgements
This study was financed in part by the Coordenaç~ao de
Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de N
ıvel Superior - Brasil (CAPES) -
Finance Code 001. Also, we thank the National Council for Scientific
and Technological Development – CNPq/Brazil (http://www.cnpq.br)
for providing financial support for this study, process number 313311/
2019-6 and 306395/2017-7. Moreover, we extend our thanks to the
Editors and anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments, which
helped improve the paper. Finally, we would like to thank Feevale
University (http://www.feevale.br) and Vale do Rio dos Sinos
University (Unisinos - http://www.unisinos.br) for supporting
this research.
Funding
This work was supported by the Brazilian Coordination for the
Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) under the
finance code 001 and by the Brazilian Council for Scientific and
Technological Development (CNPq) process number 313311/2019-6.
ORCID
Bernardo Benites Cerqueira http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5362-4624
D
ebora Nice Ferrari Barbosa http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8107-8675
Jo~ao Batista Mossmann http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4605-1738
Caroline de Oliveira Cardoso http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3720-0845
Jorge Luis Vict

oria Barbosa http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0358-2056
References
Alves, M. M., & Silva, R. S. (2017). Does working memory training
promote changes in fluid intelligence? Temas em Psicologia, 25(2),
809–807. https://doi.org/10.9788/TP2017.2-19En
Ara

ujo, R. S. (2016). Standardization, validity and reliability studies of
d2-R Concentrated Attention Test [Doctoral Dissertation]. S~ao Paulo
University.
Barnett, W. S., Jung, K., Yarosz, D. J., Thomas, J., Hornbeck, A.,
Stechuk, R., & Burns, S. (2008). Educational effects of the tool of
the mind curriculum: A randomized trial. Early Childhood Research
Quarterly, 23(3), 299–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2008.03.
001
Bernier, A., Carlson, S. M., & Whipple, N. (2010). From external regu-
lation to self-regulation: early parenting precursors of young child-
ren’s executive functioning. Child Development, 81(1), 326–339.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01397.x
Best, J. R., & Miller, P. H. (2010). A developmental perspective on
executive function. Child Development, 81(6), 1641–1660. https://doi.
org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01499.x
Cardoso, C. D. O., Dias, N., Senger, J., Colling, A. P. C., Seabra, A. G.,
& Fonseca, R. P. (2018). Neuropsychological stimulation of executive
functions in children with typical development: a systematic review.
Applied Neuropsychology – Child, 7(1), 61–81. https://doi.org/10.
1080/21622965.2016.1241950
Cardoso, C. O., Seabra, A. G., Gomes, C. M. A., & Fonseca, R. P.
(2019). Program for the neuropsychological stimulation of cognition
in students: Impact, effectiveness, and transfer effects on student
cognitive performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1784. https://doi.
org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01784
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2011).
Building the Brain’s “Air Traffic Control” System: How Early
Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function:
Working Paper No. 11. Retrieved from https://developingchild.har-
vard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/How-Early-Experiences-
Shape-the-Development-of-Executive-Function.pdf
Chan, R., Shum, D., Toulopoulou, T., & Chen, E. (2008). Assessment
of executive functions: Review of instruments and identification of
critical issues. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 23(2), 201–216.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acn.2007.08.010

Christ, S. E., Holt, D. D., White, D. A., & Green, L. (2007). Inhibitory
control in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of
Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(6), 1155–1165. https://doi.
org/10.1007/s10803-006-0259-y
Cruz, V., Pais, J., Bento, V., Mateus, C., Colunas, M., Alves, I.,
Coutinho, P., & Rocha, N. (2013). A rehabilitation tool designed for
intensive web-based cognitive training: Description and usability
study. JMIR Research Protocols, 2(2), e59. https://doi.org/10.2196/
resprot.2899
Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology,
64(1), 135–168. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-
143750
Diamond, A., & Lee, K. (2011). Interventions shown to aid executive
function development in children 4 to 12 years old. Science,
333(6045), 959–964. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1204529
Diamond, A., & Ling, D. (2016). Conclusions about interventions, pro-
grams, and approaches for improving executive functions that
appear justified and those that, despite much hype, do not.
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 18, 34–48. https://doi.org/10.
1016/j.dcn.2015.11.005
Diamond, A., & Ling, D. (2020). Review of the evidence on, and fun-
damental questions about, efforts to improve executive functions,
including working memory. In J. Novick, M. F. Bunting, M. R.
Dougherty & R. W. Engle (Eds.), Cognitive and working memory
training: Perspectives from psychology, neuroscience, and human
development (143–431). Oxford University Press.
Dias, N. M., & Seabra, A. G. (2015). Is it possible to promote executive
functions in preschoolers? A case study in Brazil. International
Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 9(1):6. https://doi.org/
10.1186/s40723-015-0010-2
Fernandez, A., Black, J., Jones, M., Wilson, L., Salvador-Carulla, L.,
Astell-Burt, T., & Black, D. (2015). Flooding and mental health: A
systematic mapping review. PLOS One, 10(4), e0119929. https://doi.
org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119929
Fernandez-Sotos, P., Torio, I., Fernandez-Caballero, A., Navarro, E.,
Gonzalez, P., Dompablo, M., & Rodriguez-Jimenez, R. (2019). Social
cognition remediation interventions: A systematic mapping review.
PLOS One., 14(6), e0218720.
Fisk, J. E., & Sharp, C. A. (2004). Age-related impairment in executive
functioning: Updating, inhibition, shifting, and access. Journal of
Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 26(7), 874–890. https://
doi.org/10.1080/13803390490510680
Fosco, W. D., Kofler, M. J., Alderson, R. M., Tarle, S. J., Raiker, J. S., &
Sarver, D. E. (2019). Inhibitory control and information processing
in ADHD: Comparing the dual task and performance adjustment
hypotheses. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(6), 961–974.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0504-9
Holmes, J., Gathercole, S., & Dunning, D. (2009). Adaptive training
leads to sustained enhancement of poor working memory in chil-
dren. Developmental Science, 12(4), F9–F15. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.
1467-7687.2009.00848.x
Hughes, C. (2011). Changes and challenges in 20 years of research into
the development of executive functions. Infant & Child
Development, 20, 251–271.
Baranowski, T., Blumberg, F., Buday, R., DeSmet, A., Fiellin, L. E.,
Green, C. S., Kato, P. M., Lu, A. S., Maloney, A. E., Mellecker, R.,
Morrill, B. A., Peng, W., Shegog, R., Simons, M., Staiano, A. E.,
Thompson, D., & Young, K., Institute of Digital Media and Child
Development Working Group on Games for Health. (2016). Games
for health for children – current status and needed research. Games
for Health Journal, 5(1), 1–12.
Jalali, S., & Wohlin, C. (2010). Agile practices in global software engin-
eering-A systematic map. In: 5th IEEE International Conference on
Global Software Engineering (pp. 45–54). ICGSE 2010, Princeton,
NJ, USA. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICGSE.2010.14
Kassai, R., Futo, J., Demetrovics, Z., & Takacs, Z. K. (2019). A meta-
analysis of the experimental evidence on the near- and far-transfer
APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: CHILD 11
effects among children’s executive function skills. Psychological
Bulletin, 145(2), 165–188. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000180
Keshav, S. (2007). How to read a paper. ACM SIGCOMM Computer
Communication Review, 37(3), 83–84. https://doi.org/10.1145/
1273445.1273458
Klingberg, T., Fernell, E., Olesen, P. J., Johnson, M., Gustafsson, P.,
Dahlstr€ om, K., Gillberg, C., Forssberg, H., & Westerberg, H. (2005).
Computerized training of working memory in children with ADHD
– a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy
of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 44(2), 177–186. https://doi.org/10.
1097/00004583-200502000-00010
Li, H., Subrahmanyam, K., Bai, X., Xie, X., & Liu, T. (2018). Viewing
Fantastical Events Versus Touching Fantastical Events: Short-term
effects on children’s inhibitory control. Child Development, 89(1),
48–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12820
Lieberman, D. (2006). What can we learn from playing interactive
games. In P. Vorderer, & J. Bryant (Eds.), Playing video games:
Motives, responses, and consequences (pp. 379–397). Routledge.
Mackey, A. P., Hill, S. S., Stone, S. I., & Bunge, S. A. (2011).
Differential effects of reasoning and speed training in children.
Developmental Science, 14(3), 582–590. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.
1467-7687.2010.01005.x
Melby-Lervåg, M., & Hulme, C. (2013). Is working memory training
effective? A meta-analytic review. Developmental Psychology, 49(2),
270–291. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028228
Melby-Lervåg, M., Redick, T. S., & Hulme, C. (2016). Working
memory training does not improve performance on measures of
intelligence or other measures of “far Transfer”: Evidence from a
meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science: A Journal
of the Association for Psychological Science, 11(4), 512–534. https://
doi.org/10.1177/1745691616635612
Meltzer, L. (2014). Teaching executive functioning processes:
Promoting metacognition, strategy use, and effort. In: S. Goldstein,
& J. Naglieri (Eds.), Handbook of Executive Functioning. Springer.
Miller, H., Barnes, J., & Beaver, K. (2011). Self-control and health out-
comes in a nationally representative sample. American Journal of
Health Behavior, 35(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.35.1.2
Miyake, A., Friedman, N., Emerson, M., Witzki, A., Howerter, A., &
Wager, T. (2000). The unity and diversity of executive functions and
their contributions to complex "Frontal Lobe" tasks: A latent variable
analysis. Cognitive Psychology, 41(1), 49–100. https://doi.org/10.1006/
cogp.1999.0734
Moffitt, T. E., Arseneault, L., Belsky, D., Dickson, N., Hancox, R. J.,
Harrington, H., Houts, R., Poulton, R., Roberts, B. W., Ross, S.,
Sears, M. R., Thomson, W. M., & Caspi, A. (2011). A gradient of
childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(7), 2693–2698.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1010076108
M€uller, U., Zelazo, P., Lurye, L., & Liebermann, D. (2008). The effect
of labeling on preschool children’s performance in the dimensional
change card sort task. Cognitive Development, 23(3), 395–408.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2008.06.001
Perryman, C. (2016). Mapping studies. Journal of the Medical Library
Association: JMLA, 104(1), 79–82. https://doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.
104.1.014
Petersen, K., Vakkalanka, S., & Kuzniarz, L. (2015). Guidelines for con-
ducting systematic mapping studies in software engineering: An
update. Information and Software Technology, 64, 1–18. https://doi.
org/10.1016/j.infsof.2015.03.007
Prins, P. J., Dovis, S., Ponsioen, A., Ten Brink, E., & Van Der Oord, S.
(2011). Does computerized working memory training with game ele-
ments enhance motivation and training efficacy in children with
ADHD? Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 14(3),
115–122. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2009.0206
Ramos, D., & Melo, H. (2019). Can digital games in school improve
attention? A study of Brazilian elementary school students. Journal
of Computers in Education, 6(1), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/
s40692-018-0111-3
12 B. B. CERQUEIRA ET AL.
Raven, J., Raven, J. C., & Court, J. H. (2008). Raven’s educational:
Coloured progressive matrices and Crichton vocabulary scale manual.
NCS Pearson.
Sala, G., & Gobet, F. (2017). Working memory training in typically
developing children: A meta-analysis of the available evidence.
Developmental Psychology, 53(4), 671–685. https://doi.org/10.1037/
dev0000265
Schopler, E., Reichler, R., DeVellis, R., & Daly, K. (1980). Toward
objective classification of childhood autism: Childhood Autism
Rating Scale (CARS). Journal of Autism and Developmental
Disorders, 10(1), 91–103. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02408436
Shalev, L., Tsal, Y., & Mevorach, C. (2007). Computerized progressive
attentional training (CPAT) program: Effective direct intervention
for children with ADHD. Child Neuropsychology: A Journal on
Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence,
13(4), 382–388. https://doi.org/10.1080/09297040600770787
Spaniol, M., Shalev, L., Kossyvaki, L., & Mevorach, C. (2018).
Attention training in autism as a potential approach to improving
academic performance: A school-based pilot study. Journal of
Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(2), 592–610. https://doi.
org/10.1007/s10803-017-3371-2
Takacs, Z., & Kassai, R. (2019). The efficacy of different interventions
to fosterchildren’s executive function skills: A series of meta-
analyses. Psychological Bulletin, 145(7), 653–697. https://doi.org/10.
1037/bul0000195
Thorell, L., Lindqvist, S., Bergman Nutley, S., Bohlin, G., & Klingberg,
T. (2009). Training and transfer effects of executive functions in
preschool children. Developmental Science, 12(1), 106–113. https://
doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2008.00745.x
Tourinho, A., Bonfim, C., & Alves, L. (2016). Games, TDAH e
Funç~oes Executivas: Uma Revis~ao da Literatura. XV SBGames, 15,
872–879.
Volckaert, A., & No€el, M. (2015). Training executive function in pre-
schoolers reduce externalizing behaviors. Trends in Neuroscience
and Education, 4(1–2), 37–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2015.02.
001
Wiebe, S. A., Sheffield, T. D., & Espy, K. A. (2012). Separating the fish
from the sharks: A longitudinal study of preschool response inhib-
ition. Child Development, 83(4), 1245–1261. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.
1467-8624.2012.01765.x
Wohlin, C. (2014). Guidelines for snowballing in systematic
literature studies and a replication in software engineering
[Paper presentation]. The 18th International, In: Proceedings of
conference on evaluation and assessment in software engineering,
1–10. EASE ’14, ACM: New York, NY, USA.