2.6.4 Mental Speed Changes as a Consequence of Gifted Education: A 12-Month-Long Comparative Study

This presentation explores the results of a comparative year-long research regarding the effects on mental-processing speed of two different models of education (average versus intensive differentiated programs). Mental processing speed(MPS) is the most reliable indicator of cognitive function regarding brain cells’ transmission efficiency, a process related with learning. The unit of measure used with MPS is Reaction Time (RT). One differentiated program used in special centers at Latin America is the Intellectual Enhancement Program (IEP) founded on Lewis Terman enrichment proposal. We compared and analyzed mental speed throughout twelve months of 250 gifted children, in the 6 to 14 years old range, divided in two populations randomly assigned to two different educational strategies (the IEP and average education). Students from two countries (Mexico and USA) were selected. The WISC-IV and V Indexes of Processing Speed were used, which evaluate visual and fine-motor coordination mental speed. For processing cognitive speed, the Abstract Matching Task (AMT), based on 1990Hale’s task that measures electronically the visual reaction. Finally, for abstract intelligence MPS, the Raven Test electronic form.

We found significant differences at WISC, AMT and Raven performance (p=0.001), between gifted children at special education and the ones at average instruction. A difference that was non-existent at the start of the study. After twelve months, at both WISC and Raven the Special education group reduced its reaction time by 0.09 seconds which indicated a 2.48% higher speed. Whereas, the group at average education increased its reaction time by 1.5 seconds (a delay of 39.27%). This revealed that the educative factor such as differentiated strategies designed for gifted had an impact in fine visual-motor and visual-abstract MPS. At every test, the RT got slower (an average of 4.2% monthly) for the group receiving average education while the students at differentiated instruction increased their speed an average of 2.3%.

Our findings suggested that at average education mental processing speed declines through a process not attributable to previous social effects (possibly atrophy) while those at intensive programs increased slightly their RT (indicating cognitive enhancement). We found that even-though our sample did not present a strong increase in their mental speed when studying at a special program, the average education environment may be related to stagnation of mental speed, which could be attributed to brain efficiency reduction. These findings can impact future educational policies by underlining neurodevelopment effects produced on the gifted child brain depending on theEducation strategy.

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