Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT05296252

Attention and Achievement: A Mind Wandering Investigation

This study assesses the impact of mind-wandering on reading and math.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Attention Disturbances

Age range

11 year–15 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Houston

Houston, Texas, 77204-5053, United States

About this study

This study assesses the impact of mind-wandering on reading and math. Specifically 120 middle school student participants will receive descriptive measures (of achievement, attention and related factors including mind-wandering), and will receive a brief (~30 min) lesson in reading and math (order counterbalanced). Participants will receive a brief pre-test, the lesson, and then a post-test on the reading and math outcomes. 75% of the participants will receive a brief manipulation that sets up the influence of mind-wandering, as well as redirects when probe-caught mind-wandering occurs. The remaining participants will receive only redirects, and only randomly. Among participants to receive the mind-wandering manipulation, an equal number will receive this only for reading, only for math, and for both reading and math.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • enrollment in schools where we have permission to conduct the study

Exclusion criteria

  • students known to be enrolled in separate curricula (e.g., life-skills classes)

Treatment and study plan

mind-wandering intervention

Behavioral

Participants in this condition receive a brief introduction to the potential impact of mind-wandering (before learning, proactive), and are redirected to lesson if "probe-caught" mind-wandering are endorsed (during learning, reactive)

mind-wandering comparison

Behavioral

Participants in this condition receive no introduction, and only redirection, and the redirection is random, not in reaction to mind-wandering

Primary outcomes

  1. Investigator Developed Items Derived From Reading Content Being Taught

    Time frame: administered one time immediately following the single reading learning session on day 1

    Participants will answer multiple choice questions regarding the reading material being taught, and the key index will the raw score number correct. The investigators call the scale "Sleep and Dreams" (after the content the participant is reading about), and the possible score range will be 0 (min) to 24 (max), with higher scores meaning better comprehension of the material.

  2. Investigator Developed Items Derived From Math Content Being Taught

    Time frame: adminstered one time immediately following the single math learning session on day 1

    Participants will answer multiple choice questions regarding the math material being taught, and the key index will the raw score number correct. The investigators call the scale "Circles" (after the content being taught), and the possible score range will be 0 (min) to 24 (max), with higher scores meaning better comprehension of the material.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Investigator Developed Probe-Caught Mind-Wandering

    Time frame: On 12 occasions interspersed during each of the math and reading learning sessions, on day 1 only.

    During the learning (of the reading and math content), participants are prompted on several occasions as to whether their mind was wandering during the lesson. This is a single item multiple/choice scale (called Probe-Caught Mind Wandering), with the range being 0 (min) to 12 (max), with lower scores indicating the better outcome (less mind wandering)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Houston

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Attention and Achievement (A Subproject Affiliated With the Texas Center for Learning Disabilities or TCLD)

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Mar 25, 2022
Registry last updated
May 19, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.