Intrinsic motivation in children born extremely preterm: Neuroanatomical and cognitive associations and role in cognitive training

This thesis investigated how children’s motivation relates to memory processes and academic performance, as well as the neural connections supporting motivational drives. Focused on children born extremely early, findings revealed that efficient neural communication underpins motivation in early school aged children. While motivation was important for literacy and math performance in these children, an important memory skill (working memory) was found to be a contributing factor. Motivation, along with family-specific characteristics, was associated with short-term improvements in memory outcomes following a cognitive training program. These investigations help bring awareness of the importance of motivation for outcomes in young, vulnerable children.