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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03063411

Testing Whether a Short Training Program Designed to Improve Cognitive Skills Improves 4-year-olds' Maths Skills

This study will test whether a short training program - designed to improve memory and attention skills - will benefit mathematical reasoning in preschoolers from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. The investigators will test how long any benefits last for and whether any intervention effects are greater for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The aim is to test interventions that aim to close the achievement gap by improving skills known to underpin academic skills, at an age children may benefit most from training.

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Key information

Conditions

Cognitive Development

Age range

3 year–5 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The University of Sheffield

Sheffield, United Kingdom

About this study

Children's academic success across a range of domains is related to their executive function skills - specifically by their ability to maintain and update information (working memory) and to suppress inappropriate responses (inhibitory control). These skills undergo significant development during the preschool years. Notably, preschool executive function skills strongly predict school readiness, as well as concurrent and later academic achievements in mathematics. The aim of this project is to test an intervention that is specifically designed to improve preschoolers' executive functions - crucially, before the achievement gap sets in. The study will be carried out, following CONSORT (2010) guidelines, with typically developing preschoolers (aged approximately 4 years of age). The study will include children from socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged families. Children will be randomly assigned to either an executive function training group or an active control group. A nominated person external to the project will conduct the random allocation process. The random allocation will be done for each nursery to ensure roughly even numbers in each group from each nursery. Children in both groups will complete computerized tasks lasting 15-20 minutes once a week for four weeks. The investigators will compare the trained children to an active control group that closely matches the training in terms of activity. To check for improvements, the investigators will measure cognitive and maths skills at baseline (one week before training); one week post-training; three months post-training; and one year post-training. These assessments will be conducted by testers blind to the child's group.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Must be attending a nursery school attached to a primary school.
  • Must speak and understand English (class teachers will advise on this).
  • Must have at least one measure of working memory completed at baseline and one measure of inhibitory control completed at baseline.

Exclusion criteria

  • Must not have a significant diagnosed or known physical, mental or learning disability.

Treatment and study plan

Executive Function Intervention

Other

In the executive function training group, children will complete computerised tasks requiring working memory and inhibitory control over four weekly sessions lasting 15-20 minutes. The aim is to improve their executive function skills. In the active control group, children will complete computerised tasks requiring simple decision making and visual search skills over four weekly sessions lasting 15-20 minutes.

active control group

Other

This is the active control condition. Children will complete computerised tasks requiring simple decision making and visual search skills over four weekly sessions lasting 15-20 minutes.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in mathematical reasoning scores as measured by the WIAT-II mathematical reasoning sub-test.

    Time frame: Baseline = one week before the intervention; post-test = one week post-intervention, three months post-intervention.

    The investigators will use the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-II to measure this (WIAT-II; Wechsler, 2005).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Long-term change in mathematical reasoning as measured by the WIAT-II mathematical reasoning sub-test.

    Time frame: One year post-training from baseline

  2. Change in verbal working memory as measured by the Backward Word Span task.

    Time frame: One week post-intervention from baseline, three months post-intervention from baseline and 1 year post-intervention from baseline.

  3. Change in visuo-spatial working memory as measured by the Corsi Block task.

    Time frame: One week post-intervention from baseline, three months post-intervention from baseline and 1 year post-intervention from baseline.

  4. Change in in inhibitory control as measured by the Grass/Snow task.

    Time frame: One week post-intervention from baseline, three months post-intervention from baseline and 1 year post-intervention from baseline.

  5. Change in in inhibitory control as measured by the Peg Tapping task.

    Time frame: One week post-intervention from baseline, three months post-intervention from baseline and 1 year post-intervention from baseline.

  6. Change in classroom engagement score as rated by teachers using the Classroom Engagement Scale (FitzPatrick & Pagani, 2012).

    Time frame: Three months post-intervention from baseline and 1 year post-intervention from baseline.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Sheffield

Other

Collaborators

  • University of Nottingham

Registry information

Official study title

Testing a Short Executive Function Training Intervention to Improve Mathematical Reasoning in a Diverse Sample of Children Before They Start School

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2017
Study completion
2018
First posted
Feb 24, 2017
Registry last updated
Nov 6, 2018

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.

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