Testing Whether a Short Training Program Designed to Improve Cognitive Skills Improves 4-year-olds' Maths Skills
Condition: Cognitive Development
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      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.
    

Detailed description: 
      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.
    

Intervention name(s): Executive Function Intervention; Active Control Group
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): 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.; 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.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: Maths reasoning; Working memory; Executive Functions; Cognitive Control; Academic Skills; Randomised Control Trial