Merrill/Yang Research Lab
Current Projects:
1. Improving Spatial Abilities of Young Children through Experiential Training
2. Adapting Spatial Ability Training for Adolescents and Young Adults with Down Syndrome
Principle Investigators: Ed Merrill, PhD (The University of Alabama)
Jennifer Yang, PhD (Montclair State University)
Funding - National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development (Grant # R15100851)
Purpose - This is a multi-site research program. Our two projects investigate ways to (1) improve spatial abilities of young children (4 - 9 years old) and (2) adapt these procedures to train spatial abilities of adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome. Spatial ability is used in many everyday activities such as large scale navigation, numerical reasoning, and tasks that involve assembly, loading, and packaging. However, according to The National Academy of Sciences (2006) "skill in spatial thinking is presumed throughout the K - 12 curriculum, but is formally and systematically taught nowhere". This state of affairs has not changed much in the last 15 years. Hence, spatial ability is typically learned from general experience, creating wide variations in skill among children whose experiences may differ and those who may benefit from different types or amounts of experience. We know that many typically developing children and most adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome exhibit some difficulties with spatial tasks. Our goal is to learn which types of experiences can be provided to them that will improve their development of these important spatial abilities.
We are currently recruiting children for the delayed onset control group. After an initial assessment, initiation of the training component will be delayed by 2 months. Then participants will be provided the experiential training, followed by a final assessment. The purpose of this group is to provide a way to measure whether any observed improvement reflects the role of experience or simply the passage of time during the initial two months following the first assessment.