Interventions in Mathematics and Cognitive Skills

N/ARecruitingNCT05201534

Stanford University180 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to investigate neurocognitive mechanisms underlying response to intervention aimed at enhancing, and remediating weaknesses in, numerical skills in children, including those with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD). To achieve this goal, investigators will use a theoretically-motivated integrated symbolic/non-symbolic (iSNS) intervention with a randomized controlled design to enhance cross-format mapping between symbolic and nonsymbolic representations of quantities. The investigators will develop innovative computational models to investigate individual differences in latent cognitive processes and brain plasticity that contribute to learning, long-term retention, and transfer in children. The investigators will assess performance in several areas and investigate cognitive and neural mechanisms that support numerical skill acquisition in children with differing levels of math learning abilities.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

180

Conditions

Math Learning Disability Child Development

Interventions

Interventions in Mathematics and Cognitive Skills - ExperimentalOTHER

After study participants have completed screenings to meet our inclusion criteria, participants will take part in the pre-training MRI brain scan (if eligible) and behavioral assessments and will then be assigned to the intervention for 6 weeks. During this training, participants will spend three days each week completing a set of problems at their home on a tablet that we provide them. Participants will receive one-to-one training with a member of our research team once a week. Following the completion of the 6-week training program, participants will be asked to complete a second MRI brain imaging session (for those who completed pre-training MRI) and post-measure appointments in order to assess immediate effects of the training program. Participants will also be invited to return for follow-up testing after six months in order to assess the long- lasting effects of the training program.

Interventions in Mathematics and Cognitive Skills - Active ComparatorOTHER

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 6 YearsMax age: 12 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Elementary school aged children starting from first grade (6-12 years old) 2. IQ: Participants with a Full Scale IQ \> 70 on the Wechsler Abbreviated Scle of Intelligence (WASI-II). 3. Identification of Mathematical Learning Disabilities: Scores below the 35th percentile percentile on symbolic number processing test in Numeracy Screener and two or more Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-IV) math subtests 4. Identification of typically developing children: Scores at or above the 35th percentile percentile on symbolic number processing test in Numeracy Screener and all WIAT-IV math subtests 5. Normal or corrected-to-normal vision and no hearing impairments 6. Inclusion in MRI scan session: Right-handed Exclusion Criteria: 1. History of neurological or psychiatric disorder (i.e., schizophrenia, psychosis, depression, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.) 2. History of trauma involving head injury 3. Consistent psychiatric medications 4. Exclusion from MRI scan session: No major contraindication for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - braces, metal implants, pacemakers, vascular stents, metallic ear tubes, consistent exposure to metal, claustrophobia)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change from baseline in symbolic number comparison task performance (reaction time)

Performance will be measured by children's reaction time (milliseconds) on symbolic number comparison task