Academic Achievement in Math Clinical Trial
Official title:
The Effects of Gum Chewing on Standardized Math Scores in Adolescents
| Verified date | November 2008 |
| Source | Baylor College of Medicine |
| Contact | n/a |
| Is FDA regulated | No |
| Health authority | United States: Institutional Review Board |
| Study type | Interventional |
Context: Gum chewing has been shown to increase cognitive functioning. With the rise in
standardized testing of school-age children and the concurrent attempts to improve their
scores, finding simple and inexpensive methods to bolster performance is needed.
Objective: To examine the effects of gum chewing on standardized test scores and class
grades in a group of 8th grade math students.
Design: Math classes were randomized to a gum chewing (GC) condition that provided students
with gum during class and testing, or a control condition with no gum (NG) provided during
class and testing. This study was conducted during the Spring 2008 school semester.
Setting: A charter school in Houston, TX.
Participants: All students enrolled in eighth grade math at the charter school were
approached for recruitment in this study. A total of 108 (94%) students participated.
Participants were between the ages of 13 and 16.
Main Outcome Measures: The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), the Woodcock
Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ-III), and math class grades were used to assess any
differences in academic performance between the GC and NGC conditions. For purposes of this
study, only the math sections of the WJ-III and TAKS, which are both standardized tests,
were assessed.
Our primary hypothesis was that adolescents in a gum chewing (GC) condition would have
significantly improved standardized test scores and math grades compared to adolescents in a
non-gum chewing (NG) control condition.
| Status | Completed |
| Enrollment | 108 |
| Est. completion date | May 2008 |
| Est. primary completion date | May 2008 |
| Accepts healthy volunteers | Accepts Healthy Volunteers |
| Gender | Both |
| Age group | 13 Years to 16 Years |
| Eligibility |
Inclusion Criteria: - Enrollment in eight grade math class Exclusion Criteria: - Parents did not consent to participation |
Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment
| Country | Name | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | |||
| Lead Sponsor | Collaborator |
|---|---|
| Baylor College of Medicine | The Children's Nutrition Research Center |
| Type | Measure | Description | Time frame | Safety issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Math Grades | baseline (the beginning of a school semester ) | No | |
| Primary | Math Scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) | the beginning of a school semester | No | |
| Primary | Math Grades | 14 week (end of the semester) | No | |
| Primary | Math Scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). | 14 weeks (end of the semester) | No | |
| Secondary | State Anxiety Scores on the State Trait Anxiety Index for Children (STAIC). | the beginning of a school semester and 14 weeks later (the end of a school semester) | No | |
| Secondary | Math Scores on the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ-III) | the beginning of a school semester and 14 weeks later (the end of a school semester) | No | |
| Secondary | Scores on the Math Anxiety Rating Scale for Adolescents (MARS-A) | the beginning of a school semester and 14 weeks later (the end of a school semester) | No |