ERRORLESS LEARNING

Partial Abstract Collection

 

J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2003 Sep;25(6):805-14.    Related Articles, Links          

Implicit learning in memory rehabilitation: a meta-analysis on errorless learning and vanishing cues methods.

Kessels RP, de Haan EH.;R.Kessels@fss.uu.nl

            The objective of this study was to present a quantitative review on the treatment effects of memory rehabilitation techniques based on intact implicit learning capacity in amnesic patients, that is, errorless learning and the method of vanishing cues. English-language journal articles focusing on these rehabilitation techniques were examined using MedLine (1966-2002) or PsychInfo (1887-2002), as well as additional papers listed in the references of these articles. Studies had to meet the following inclusion criteria: (1) original data were reported, (2) memory rehabilitation was studied in memory-impaired patients, (3) a control intervention was included, (4) exact scores were listed for both intervention conditions, or the exact statistics were presented. Studies were classified on the basis of the to-be-learned material and the method of intervention (errorless learning, vanishing cues, control intervention), patient characteristics were determined, and the tasks that were used were taken into account. Effect sizes and variances were computed for each individual study compared to control treatment using within-group statistics. A "large" and statistically significant ES was found for errorless learning treatment, but no significant ES was demonstrated for the vanishing cues method. The results of the present study show that the errorless learning technique is effective in amnesic patients. The effects on the vanishing cues method are only small (and nonsignificant).

 

 

Age Ageing. 2003 Sep;32(5):529-33.

Mnemonic strategies in older people: a comparison of errorless and errorful learning.

Kessels RP, de Haan EH.; r.kessels@fss.uu.nl

            OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of errorless and errorful learning on memory performance in older people and young adults. METHODS: Face-name association learning was examined in 18 older people and 16 young controls. Subjects were either prompted to guess the correct name during the presentation of photographs of unknown faces (errorful learning) or were instructed to study the face without guessing (errorless learning). The correct name was given after the presentation of each face in both task conditions. Uncued testing followed immediately after the two study phases and after a 10-minute delay. RESULTS: Older subjects had an overall lower memory performance and flatter learning curves compared to the young adults, regardless of task conditions. Also, errorless learning resulted in a higher accuracy than errorful learning, to an equal amount in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Older people have difficulty in the encoding stages of face-name association learning, whereas retrieval is relatively unaffected. In addition, the prevention of errors occurring during learning results in a better memory performance, and is perhaps an effective strategy for coping with age-related memory decrement

 

 

Neuropsychologia. 2003;41(9):1230-40.

An investigation of errorless learning in memory-impaired patients: improving the technique and clarifying theory.

Tailby R, Haslam C.

            In rehabilitating individuals who demonstrate severe memory impairment, errorless learning techniques have proven particularly effective. Prevention of errors during acquisition of information leads to better memory than does learning under errorful conditions. This paper presents results of a study investigating errorless learning in three patient groups: those demonstrating mild, moderate, and severe memory impairments. The first goal of the study was to trial a new version of errorless learning, one encouraging more active participation in learning by patients via the use of elaboration and self-generation. This technique led to significantly better memory performance than seen under standard errorless conditions. This finding highlights the value of encouraging active and meaningful involvement by patients in errorless learning, to build upon the benefits flowing from error prevention. A second goal of the study was to clarify the mechanisms underlying errorless learning. Memory performance under errorless and errorful conditions was compared within and across each group of patients, to facilitate theoretical insight into the memory processes underlying performance. The pattern of results observed was equivocal. The data most strongly supported the hypothesis that the benefits seen under errorless learning reflect the operation of residual explicit memory processes, however a concurrent role for implicit memory processes was not ruled out.

 

 

J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2003 Spring;15(2):130-44.

A critical review of memory stimulation programs in Alzheimer's disease.

Grandmaison E, Simard M.

Geriatric Neuropsychology Laboratory, School of Psychology, Universit de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. eric.grandmaison@gnb.ca

            The authors describe the memory stimulation programs used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and review their efficacy. Visual imagery, errorless learning, dyadic approaches, spaced retrieval techniques, encoding specificity with cognitive support at retrieval, and external memory aids were the memory stimulation programs used alone or in combination in AD. Preliminary evidence suggests that the errorless learning, spaced retrieval, and vanishing cues techniques and the dyadic approach, used alone or in combination, are efficacious in stimulating memory in patients with AD.

 

 

Psychol Med. 2003 Apr;33(3):433-42.

Does 'errorless learning' compensate for neurocognitive impairments in the work rehabilitation of persons with schizophrenia?

Kern RS, Green MF, Mintz J, Liberman RP.

            BACKGROUND: Because neurocognitive impairments of schizophrenia appear to be 'rate limiting' in the acquisition of skills for community functioning, it is important to develop efficacious rehabilitative interventions that can compensate for these impairments. Procedures based on errorless learning may facilitate work rehabilitation because they effectively automate training of work and other skills, thereby reducing the cognitive burden on persons with schizophrenia. METHOD: The present study examined the ability of a training method based on errorless learning to compensate for neurocognitive deficits in teaching two entry-level job tasks (index card filing and toilet-tank assembly) to a sample of 54 unemployed, clinically stable schizophrenic and schizoaffective disorder out-patients. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two training groups, errorless learning v. conventional trial-and-error type instruction. Prior to randomization, all subjects were administered a neurocognitive battery. Job task performance was assessed by percentage accuracy scores immediately after training. RESULTS: For three of the six inter-relationships among neurocognitive functioning and training condition, the pattern was the same: the errorless learning group scored high in job task performance regardless of neurocognitive impairment, whereas the conventional instruction group showed a close correspondence between job task performance and degree of neurocognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support errorless learning as a technique that can compensate for neurocognitive deficits as they relate to the acquisition of new skills and abilities in the work rehabilitation of persons with schizophrenia.

 

 

J Autism Dev Disord. 2003 Oct;33(5):519-26.

Sequential evaluation of reinforced compliance and graduated request delivery for the treatment of noncompliance in children with developmental disabilities.

Ducharme JM, Harris K, Milligan K, Pontes E.

Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology, University of Toronto, 252 Bloor Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1V6, Canada.

            Errorless compliance training is a recently developed approach that has been demonstrated to be effective in treating severe oppositional behavior in children. In conjunction with several ancillary techniques, the approach comprises two fundamental components: reinforcement for child compliance and delivery of requests in a four-level hierarchy, from requests that yield high levels of compliance to those that yield low levels. To determine the relative contribution of each component, four children with developmental disabilities and severe oppositional behavior were observationally assessed in baseline and then treated using reinforcement following each instance of compliance to parental requests. Following this first treatment phase, we used the graduated request hierarchy in conjunction with reinforced compliance. Results indicated that use of reinforcement for compliance in isolation was ineffective in bringing about clinically significant improvements in child compliance. The addition of the graduated request hierarchy appeared to be associated with substantial changes in child compliance that maintained in follow-up assessments.

 

 

Neuropsychologia. 2003;41(9):1230-40.

An investigation of errorless learning in memory-impaired patients: improving the technique and clarifying theory.

Tailby R, Haslam C.

In rehabilitating individuals who demonstrate severe memory impairment, errorless learning techniques have proven particularly effective. Prevention of errors during acquisition of information leads to better memory than does learning under errorful conditions. This paper presents results of a study investigating errorless learning in three patient groups: those demonstrating mild, moderate, and severe memory impairments. The first goal of the study was to trial a new version of errorless learning, one encouraging more active participation in learning by patients via the use of elaboration and self-generation. This technique led to significantly better memory performance than seen under standard errorless conditions. This finding highlights the value of encouraging active and meaningful involvement by patients in errorless learning, to build upon the benefits flowing from error prevention. A second goal of the study was to clarify the mechanisms underlying errorless learning. Memory performance under errorless and errorful conditions was compared within and across each group of patients, to facilitate theoretical insight into the memory processes underlying performance. The pattern of results observed was equivocal. The data most strongly supported the hypothesis that the benefits seen under errorless learning reflect the operation of residual explicit memory processes, however a concurrent role for implicit memory processes was not ruled out.

 

 

J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2003 Spring;15(2):130-44.

A critical review of memory stimulation programs in Alzheimer's disease.

Grandmaison E, Simard M.

Geriatric Neuropsychology Laboratory, School of Psychology, Universit de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. eric.grandmaison@gnb.ca

            The authors describe the memory stimulation programs used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and review their efficacy. Visual imagery, errorless learning, dyadic approaches, spaced retrieval techniques, encoding specificity with cognitive support at retrieval, and external memory aids were the memory stimulation programs used alone or in combination in AD. Preliminary evidence suggests that the errorless learning, spaced retrieval, and vanishing cues techniques and the dyadic approach, used alone or in combination, are efficacious in stimulating memory in patients with AD.