Journal Article Review Ahead of print
PubMed: 42764799 DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2026.2729732
Recommendations for Reporting Cognitive Training Trials (RCTT): A Delphi consensus study.
Neuropsychol Rehabil
Authors: Vahid Nejati, Azin Sarraj Khorrami, Karlene Ball, Morris Bell, Guido P H Band, Aida Bikic, Jalil Fathabadi, Anthony Feinstein, Helmut Hildebrandt, Petra Jansen, Stuart J Johnstone, Torkel Klingberg, Kerryn Pike, Sarah Raskin, Ian H Robertson, Lesley Ross, Mojtaba Soltanlou, Lyn Turkstra, Antonio Vita, Xin Xu, Mehdi Alizadeh Zarei, Philip David Zelazo, Dawei Zhang, McKay Moore Sohlberg
Affiliations
- Department of Psychology, University of North Texas at Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Institute of Psychological Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark Research Portal, Odense, Denmark.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, CvO University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
- Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- School of Applied Psychology, Menzies Health Institute of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
- Neuroscience Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA.
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA.
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Engaged Aging, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.
- Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK.
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, University of London, London, UK.
- Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Memory, Ageing, and Cognition Centre (MACC), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Department of Psychology, Monash University Malaysia Campus, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia.
- Department of Communication Disorders & Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
Abstract
The absence of standardized reporting criteria in cognitive training research has led to difficulties in classification, assessment of effectiveness, reproducibility, comparability, and quality evaluation across studies. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive, consensus-based checklist for evaluating, reporting, and conducting cognitive training studies. A Delphi method was employed to achieve consensus among experts. A panel of 22 experts participated in three rounds of surveys, providing feedback and reaching agreement on essential items for the checklist. The final checklist items were categorized into four primary domains: Participants, Cognitive Training Protocol/Program, Cognitive Training Procedure, and Study Procedure. The expert panel reached consensus on key items to be included in the checklist. These items include demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, cultural characteristics, participant eligibility criteria, sample size, recruitment process, previous experience with cognitive training, medication details, baseline cognitive function, and various parameters of cognitive training protocols and procedures. The developed checklist provides a structured and thorough approach to reporting cognitive training studies. It aligns with existing guidelines such as CONSORT and enhances the clarity, transparency, and replicability of research. Future research should aim to validate and refine the checklist across diverse cognitive training studies and populations, ensuring its generalizability and effectiveness.
MeSH
Research, Cognitive Training