Trial Outcomes & Findings for Train Your Brain: A Pilot Project to Improve Memory and Decision Making (NCT NCT05879198)

Last Updated: 2025-03-28

Results Overview

This measure asks participants to select between a smaller monetary amount available now and a larger monetary amount available at a delay (i.e., 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, and 25 years). K-values, reflecting the indifference points at which participants preference between smaller and larger rewards, are computed. Because k-values are typically skewed, they are log-transformed before analysis. Scores are not bounded with a minimum and maximum value, but higher scores indicate a preference for smaller-sooner rewards relative to larger rewards available after a delay. Number of participants with change in the Delay Discounting score is defined as participants who evidenced a decrease from baseline scores to post-intervention assessment indicating a greater willingness to wait for larger rewards (which has been associated with healthier outcomes).

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

Target enrollment

23 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Baseline, 7 weeks

Results posted on

2025-03-28

Participant Flow

12 parents and 11 adolescents provided consent/assent to participate in the study.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure	Computer-based Working Memory Training Program All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Overall Study STARTED	23
Overall Study Completed Baseline Assessment	22
Overall Study Started Computer Training	11
Overall Study COMPLETED	22
Overall Study NOT COMPLETED	1

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure	Computer-based Working Memory Training Program All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Overall Study Lost to Follow-up	1

Baseline Characteristics

Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own age out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure	Computer-Based Working Memory Training Program n=22 Participants All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Age, Continuous Parent Participants	40.9 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.1 • n=10 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own age out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Age, Continuous Adolescent Participants	12.5 years STANDARD_DEVIATION .8 • n=11 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own age out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Sex: Female, Male Adult participants reporting sex · Female	9 Participants n=10 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own sex out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Sex: Female, Male Adult participants reporting sex · Male	1 Participants n=10 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own sex out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Sex: Female, Male Adolescent participants · Female	1 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own sex out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Sex: Female, Male Adolescent participants · Male	10 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own sex out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Adult Participants · Hispanic or Latino	1 Participants n=10 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own ethnicity out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Adult Participants · Not Hispanic or Latino	9 Participants n=10 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own ethnicity out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Adult Participants · Unknown or Not Reported	0 Participants n=10 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own ethnicity out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · Hispanic or Latino	1 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own ethnicity out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · Not Hispanic or Latino	9 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own ethnicity out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · Unknown or Not Reported	1 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (included 10 parents who reported on their own ethnicity out of the 11 parents who completed baseline assessment) and adolescent sample (include 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adult participants · American Indian or Alaska Native	0 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adult participants · Asian	0 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adult participants · Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	0 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adult participants · Black or African American	9 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adult participants · White	1 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adult participants · More than one race	0 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adult participants · Unknown or Not Reported	1 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · American Indian or Alaska Native	0 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · Asian	0 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	0 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · Black or African American	9 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · White	0 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · More than one race	1 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Race (NIH/OMB) Adolescent Participants · Unknown or Not Reported	1 Participants n=11 Participants • Parent sample (including 11 parents who reported on their race) and adolescent sample (including 11 adolescents who completed baseline) are reported separately below.
Region of Enrollment United States	11 participants n=11 Participants • Adolescent Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 7 weeks

Population: Number of adolescents particiapnts

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Computer-based Working Memory Training Program n=11 Participants All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Number of Participants With Change in Delay Discounting 5 Trial Adjusted Measure	3 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 7 weeks

Population: Adolescent participants who completed both the baseline and follow-up assessments.

The Consideration of Future Consequences Scale1 (CFCS-14) is a 14-item self-report questionnaire that assesses active consideration of longer-term implications of an individual's actions. Lower scores on the CFCS-14 are associated with a greater focus on immediate needs and have been found to be associated with less engagement in health behaviors and greater substance use. Individual items are rated on a scale from 1 to 7; items are summed to create a total scores ranging from 14-98. Change in CFCS-14 score is measured by comparing baseline scores with scores at the post-intervention assessment with higher scores reflecting greater increases in future thinking .

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Computer-based Working Memory Training Program n=9 Participants All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Change in Consideration of Future Consequences Scale Baseline assessment	58.4 score on a scale Standard Deviation 7.3
Change in Consideration of Future Consequences Scale Post-training assessment	58.7 score on a scale Standard Deviation 10.9

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 7 weeks

Population: Adolescent participants who completed measure at baseline and post-training.

Tower of Hanoi (TOH) is a measure of planning ahead. It requires the participant to move disks of varying sizes between three pegs in order to create a specified design. Participants are instructed to follow specific rules for play and are awarded points for making each design in the least number of moves. The minimum overall score a participant can get is zero and the maximum score is 72, with higher scores indicating better performance. The current study will use the TOH measure from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS; Delis, Kaplan \& Kramer, 2001). The test is normed on clinical and community samples of individuals ages 8 to 89 years old and demonstrates adequate reliability and validity (Delis et al. 2004).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Computer-based Working Memory Training Program n=11 Participants All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Change in Tower of Hanoi Baseline Assessment	51.36 score on a scale Standard Deviation 4.9
Change in Tower of Hanoi Post-training Assessment	50.9 score on a scale Standard Deviation 16.4

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 7 weeks

Population: Adolescent participants who completed measure at baseline and post-training.

Letter Number Sequencing (LNS) is a measure of working memory. The participant is read a list of scrambled letters and numbers that they must then repeat back to the examiner in alphabetical and numeric order. The length of the target string increases over time until the participant is no longer able to correctly sequence three letter/ number stems in a row. We will utilize the LNS subscale from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-5; Wechsler, 2014) for participants between 12 and 16, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV; Wechsler, 2008) for participants age 17. Higher scores indicate better outcomes with, total raw summed scores ranging from 0 to 30. Both intelligence batteries are widely used and normed on community and clinical populations.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Computer-based Working Memory Training Program n=11 Participants All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Change in Letter Number Sequencing Baseline Assessment	9.14 score on a scale Standard Deviation 1.2
Change in Letter Number Sequencing Post-Training Assessment	9.86 score on a scale Standard Deviation 2.7

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 7 weeks

Population: Adolescent participants who completed measure at baseline and post-training.

Iowa Gambling Task (IGT; Bechara et al., 1994) evaluates experiential decision making. It is administered via a computer interface, in which participants are presented four decks of cards and asked to select one deck to flip a card from in order to win money. Each deck is associated with specific winning and losing probabilities and performance on the task is determined by computing relative preference for longer vs. shorter-term rewards. Advantageous choices are summed and total scores range for -100 to +100 with higher scores indicating a higher proportion of advantageous choices suggesting a better performance.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Computer-based Working Memory Training Program n=11 Participants All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Change in Iowa Gambling Task Baseline Assessment	42.3 score on a scale Standard Deviation 23.7
Change in Iowa Gambling Task Post-Training Assessment	46.3 score on a scale Standard Deviation 26.5

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 7 weeks

Population: Adolescent participants who completed this item at baseline and post-training.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; CDC, 2001) is a self-report measure of the prevalence of real world risk behaviors, including compromised safety behaviors (e.g. not wearing a seat belt), substance use, risky sexual practices, and delinquent behaviors (e.g. gambling, theft). Because substance use has been associated with problematic behaviors more broadly (Bukstein, 2000), the YRBS will allow us to tap engagement in a variety of related risky behaviors. We looked at changes in a single item assessing on how many of the last 30 days a participant had at least one sip of alcohol. Possible scores ranged from 0 (indicating zero days of drinking in the last 30 days) to 6 (indicating drinking every day over the last 30 days).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Computer-based Working Memory Training Program n=8 Participants All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Change in Youth Risk Behavior Survey Baseline Assessment	0 score on a scale Standard Deviation 0
Change in Youth Risk Behavior Survey Post-training Assessment	0 score on a scale Standard Deviation 0

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 7 weeks

Population: Adolescent participants who completed measure at baseline and post-training.

The Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ; Brown, Christiansen, \& Goldman, 1987) and the Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire (MEEQ; Schafer \& Brown, 1991) are self-report questionnaires that tap youths' perception of positive and negative outcomes related to using alcohol and marijuana. Both measures report on youth positive (AEQ-positive - 4 items; MEEQ-positive - 3 items) and negative (AEQ-negative - 3 items, MEEQ-negative - 3 items) expectations. Each item is ranked on a 5-point Likert scale (1=disagree strongly to 5=agree strongly) and summed. Scores on the AEQ-positive range from 4-20 with higher scores indicating greater positive expectancies, and all other subscale scores ranging from 3-15 with higher scores indicating higher positive (MEEQ-positive) or negative expectancies (AEQ-negative, MEEQ-negative).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Computer-based Working Memory Training Program n=9 Participants All participants in this phase of the project will receive the active working memory training intervention (up to 15, 20-30-minute computer-based training sessions over the course of 5 to 7 weeks). Additionally, key stakeholders will be asked to participate in a qualitative interview following the intervention to refine future models of intervention delivery in traditionally underserved communities. Computer-based Intervention: The current project proposes to pilot a computer-based working memory training program to improve delay discounting and prevent substance use among at-risk adolescents in a traditionally underserved area.
Change in Alcohol/Marijuana Effect Expectancies AEQ-positive Baseline Assessment	7 score on a scale Standard Deviation 1.9
Change in Alcohol/Marijuana Effect Expectancies AEQ-positive Post-Training Assessment	8.1 score on a scale Standard Deviation 2.9
Change in Alcohol/Marijuana Effect Expectancies AEQ-negative Baseline Assessment	9.4 score on a scale Standard Deviation 3.5
Change in Alcohol/Marijuana Effect Expectancies AEQ-negative Post-Training Assessment	10.1 score on a scale Standard Deviation 3.6
Change in Alcohol/Marijuana Effect Expectancies MEEQ-positive Baseline Assessment	10.6 score on a scale Standard Deviation 3.1
Change in Alcohol/Marijuana Effect Expectancies MEEQ-positive Post-Training Assessment	12.7 score on a scale Standard Deviation 3.8
Change in Alcohol/Marijuana Effect Expectancies MEEQ-negative Baseline Assessment	7.6 score on a scale Standard Deviation 1.9
Change in Alcohol/Marijuana Effect Expectancies MEEQ-negative Post-Training Assessment	8.1 score on a scale Standard Deviation 1.8

Adverse Events

Adolescents Computer-Based Working Memory Training Program

Serious events: 0 serious events

Other events: 0 other events

Deaths: 0 deaths

Parents

Serious events: 0 serious events

Other events: 0 other events

Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Dr. Julia Felton

Henry Ford Health

Phone: 313-598-0841

Email: [email protected]

Results disclosure agreements

Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
Publication restrictions are in place