Executive function skills are important predictors of children’s success in academic learning especially mathematics achievement. Research also has shown that children’s performance in mathematic is effected by pre-math skills they brought with themselves to the school. This randomized controlled trial is designed to examine the effects of executive function and pre-math skills training on the mathematic and cognitive functioning of preschool children at risk for mathematical difficulties. Participants will be randomly assigned to the control group or one of the three experimental groups including a) executive function training, b) pre-math training and c) combination of the both executive function and pre-math training. We will evaluate math achievement and executive function skills of the participants before and just after the intervention, and at a 4-month follow up. The intervention curriculum include 24 sessions five per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session. The data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measure analysis using SPSS version 16.
General information
Acronym
Math Achievement
IRCT registration information
IRCT registration number:IRCT2016042717134N3
Registration date:2017-03-05, 1395/12/15
Registration timing:retrospective
Last update:
Update count:0
Registration date
2017-03-05, 1395/12/15
Registrant information
Name
Ahmad Ahmadi
Name of organization / entity
University of Tehran
Country
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Phone
+98 21 8209 5075
Email address
ahmady457@ut.ac.ir
Recruitment status
Recruitment complete
Funding source
University of Tehran
Expected recruitment start date
2016-01-21, 1394/11/01
Expected recruitment end date
2016-08-05, 1395/05/15
Actual recruitment start date
empty
Actual recruitment end date
empty
Trial completion date
empty
Scientific title
Developing and Evaluating of Executive Function and Premath Skills Training Programs for Preschool Children at Risk of Mathematical Difficulties
Public title
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Pre-math Training and Executive Function
Purpose
Prevention
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: subjects with low performance in mathematics, parent’s willingness to participate in research; lack of mental retardation or any other physical disabilities; having listening and speaking ability and they ranged in age from 5.5 to 6.5 years old. Exclusion criteria: participants, who are not eligible for the above, plus be under another intervention similar to the research intervention, if any, will be exclude.
Age
From 5 years old to 6 years old
Gender
Both
Phase
N/A
Groups that have been masked
No information
Sample size
Target sample size:
160
Randomization (investigator's opinion)
Randomized
Randomization description
Blinding (investigator's opinion)
Double blinded
Blinding description
Placebo
Not used
Assignment
Parallel
Other design features
Secondary Ids
empty
Ethics committees
1
Ethics committee
Name of ethics committee
Faculty of Psychology & Education
Street address
chamran Highway, Jalale Ale Ahmad Ave, Faculty of Psychology & Education
City
Tehran
Postal code
1445983861
Approval date
2015-07-12, 1394/04/21
Ethics committee reference number
IR.UT.REC.1395.001
Health conditions studied
1
Description of health condition studied
Learning disability
ICD-10 code
F81.2
ICD-10 code description
Specific disorder of arithmetical skills
Primary outcomes
1
Description
Math skills
Timepoint
Baseline, post-treatment, 4 months after intervention
Method of measurement
Total Score on the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Math Achivement
2
Description
Executive Functions Skills
Timepoint
Baseline, post-treatment, 4 months after intervention
Method of measurement
Tower of London, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, ,Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales
Secondary outcomes
1
Description
Working Memory Skills
Timepoint
Baseline, post-treatment, 4 months after intervention
Method of measurement
Working Memory Index of Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales
2
Description
Inhibition Skills
Timepoint
Baseline, post-treatment, 4 months after intervention
Method of measurement
Stroop test
Intervention groups
1
Description
Participants of intervention group will receive three different arms of intervention including: Arms one: Subjects will undergo the Maghzine, computerized executive functioning training with game elements, for 24 sessions over the span of 6 weeks. Each session will take 30-minute to complete. In addition to the Maghzine, the intervention group will play cognitive training games aimed at increasing working memory and inhibition skills.
Category
Prevention
2
Description
Arms two: The intervention activities mainly were selected from three evidence based math curriculum. Lessons addressed teaching of shapes, space, algebraic thinking, geometry, counting, measurement, comparison, classifying and basics operations with worksheet, manipulative and computer-based activities matched with the designed curriculum. The intervention program included twenty-four sessions of math instruction carried out every day, five days a week in small-group formats.
Category
Prevention
3
Description
Arms three: combination of pre-math training and executive function training
Category
Prevention
4
Description
Control group: will attend the routine preschool education including basic math training, art, music and English language.
Category
Prevention
Recruitment centers
1
Recruitment center
Name of recruitment center
Parsa school and preschool center
Full name of responsible person
Street address
City
Tehran
2
Recruitment center
Name of recruitment center
Mohammad Bagher Sadr school and preschool center
Full name of responsible person
Street address
City
Tehran
3
Recruitment center
Name of recruitment center
Parsa kindergarten
Full name of responsible person
Street address
City
Tehran
4
Recruitment center
Name of recruitment center
Varesan Noor school and preschool center
Full name of responsible person
Street address
City
Tehran
5
Recruitment center
Name of recruitment center
Health Center, Tehran Municipality region two
Full name of responsible person
Street address
City
Tehran
6
Recruitment center
Name of recruitment center
Shahid Rajaie school and preschool center
Full name of responsible person
Street address
City
Tehran
Sponsors / Funding sources
1
Sponsor
Name of organization / entity
university of Tehran
Full name of responsible person
Dr Hadi Bahrami
Street address
Faculty of Psychology & Education, University of Tehran, Jalale Ale Ahmad Ave, Tehran, Iran.
City
Tehran
Grant name
Grant code / Reference number
Is the source of funding the same sponsor organization/entity?
Yes
Title of funding source
university of Tehran
Proportion provided by this source
100
Public or private sector
empty
Domestic or foreign origin
empty
Category of foreign source of funding
empty
Country of origin
Type of organization providing the funding
empty
Person responsible for general inquiries
Contact
Name of organization / entity
University of Tehran
Full name of responsible person
Ahmad Ahmadi
Position
researcher/ PhD
Other areas of specialty/work
Street address
Faculty of Psychology & Education, University of Tehran, Jalale Ale Ahmad Ave, Tehran, Iran.
City
Teharn
Postal code
Phone
+98 21 6111 7457
Fax
Email
Ahmady457@ut.ac.ir
Web page address
Person responsible for scientific inquiries
Contact
Name of organization / entity
University of Tehran
Full name of responsible person
Dr Ahmad Behpajooh
Position
Professor
Other areas of specialty/work
Street address
Faculty of Psychology & Education, University of Tehran, Jalale Ale Ahmad Ave, Tehran, Iran.
City
Tehran
Postal code
Phone
+98 21 6111 7457
Fax
Email
behpajooh@ut.ac.ir
Web page address
Person responsible for updating data
Contact
Name of organization / entity
University of Tehran
Full name of responsible person
Ahmad Ahmadi
Position
PhD/ researcher
Other areas of specialty/work
Street address
Faculty of Psychology & Education, University of Tehran, Jalale Ale Ahmad Ave, Tehran, Iran.
City
Tehran
Postal code
Phone
+98 21 6111 7457
Fax
Email
Web page address
Sharing plan
Deidentified Individual Participant Data Set (IPD)