Neuropsychological Effects of Education on Mental Processing Speed: A Yearlong Comparative Study With Gifted Students

• In Event: 72.032 - Data-Driven Approaches in Educational Neuroscience

Abstract

Neuropsychological effects of gifted education are little known, including mental processing speed, one reliable indicator of cognitive function measuring the brain efficiency to process information. The latter is guided by genetic-biological development and is capable of being altered by environment, however, the direct effects of specialized-intensive education in gifted children are still not explored and how their brain reacts after exposure to enriched learning environments.
We found differences in mental processing speeds, such as fluidity of abstract, fine visual-motor intelligence and visual recognition, between 125 children receiving differentiated-special education versus 125 gifted children in the traditional education throughout a yearlong comparative study. We unveiled the neuropsychological benefits related to special education for gifted and the risks of leaving them unattended.

Author

• Andrew Alexi Almazan, Talent Attention Center (CEDAT), Mexican Alliance for Giftedness