Recruiting

Math Intervention

Sponsor:

Vanderbilt University

Code:

NCT07220746

Conditions

Math Learning Disability

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 6 - 8

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Coordinated Treatment

Math Treatment

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the effects of an innovative intervention designed to improve math skills in first graders at risk for math disabilities. The main questions the trial aims to answer are:

  • Does combining a math word problem solving intervention with a working memory intervention improve math to a greater extent than the same math intervention without cognitive training?
  • Do the findings provide evidence for bidirectional effects on development? In other words, does working memory support math learning and does math learning support working memory development?

Screening for eligibility will take place in two testing sessions. Students who meet the eligibility criteria will be randomly assigned to one of three groups:

1. One treatment group will receive a validated treatment for math word problem solving plus computerized working memory training.
2. Another treatment group will receive the same validated math treatment plus computerized reading instruction.
3. A control group will receive the conventional school math program, including any additional school-provided intervention.

Participants in both treatment groups will receive 35 minutes of tutoring three times per week for 15 weeks.

Children who are selected to participate in the study will be tested once before this project's intervention begins; twice after intervention starts; twice after intervention ends; and once near the end of second grade to see how long effects last.

Conditions

Math Learning Disability

Study ID

NCT07220746

Start date

Aug 1, 2025

Status verified date

Oct, 2025

Completion date

Apr 30, 2030

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Apr 30, 2030

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 6 - 8

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Attends a participating school in the Metropolitan-Nashville Public Schools
  • Is a member of a first-grade classroom whose teacher has agreed to let his/her students participate
  • Has the available school schedule to participate
  • Scores below the 30th percentile on the study's screening math test
  • Scores below the 50th percentile on the study's working memory test
  • Scores at or above the 7th percentile on at least one of the study's two measures of cognitive performance

Exclusion Criterion:

  • Does not attend a participating school in the Metropolitan-Nashville Public Schools
  • Is not a member of a first-grade classroom whose teacher has agreed to let his/her students participate
  • Does not have the available school schedule to participate
  • Scores at or above 30th percentile on the study's screening math test
  • Scores at or above the 50th percentile on the study's screening working test
  • Scores below the 7th percentile on both of the study's two measures of cognitive performance

Study Design

Enrollment

300 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Coordinated Treatment

The coordinated treatment group receives standard-of-care math treatment + computerized working memory training, provided contiguously \& with coordinated supports for cross-domain transfer.

active comparator: Math Treatment

The math treatment group receives standard-of-care math treatment + computerized reading instructional activities.

no intervention: Control

The control group receives only the conventional school program, including classroom instruction and school-provided intervention.

Interventions

Coordinated Treatment

Coordinated Treatment provides 15 weeks (3 35-minute sessions per week) of intervention. Each session comprises 2 components delivered contiguously by the same tutor: 15 min of working memory training, immediately followed by 20 min of math (arithmetic \& word-problem solving)intervention. Explicit transfer instruction is woven into both components.

Math Treatment

Math Treatment provides 15 weeks (three 35-minute sessions per week) of intervention. Each session comprises 2 components delivered contiguously by the same tutor: 15 min of computerized reading instruction, immediately followed by 20 min of math (arithmetic \& word-problem solving) intervention.

Primary outcome measure

  • Arithmetic Combinations (Fuchs et al., 2003) [ Time Frame: Pretest before treatment begins, 5 weeks after treatment starts, 10 weeks after treatment starts, 15 weeks after treatment starts, 20 weeks after treatment starts, 1 year + 20 weeks after treatment starts ]
  • Pennies Story Problems (Jordan & Hanich, 2000) (Jordan & Hanich, 2000) [ Time Frame: Pretest before treatment begins, 5 weeks after treatment starts, 10 weeks after treatment starts, 15 weeks after treatment starts ]
  • Word Problem Test (Fuchs et al., 2021) [ Time Frame: Pretest before treatment begins, 5 weeks after treatment starts, 10 weeks after treatment starts, 15 weeks after treatment starts, 20 weeks after treatment starts, 1 year + 20 weeks after treatment starts ]
  • Working Memory Assessment-Odd-One Out (Alloway, 2012) [ Time Frame: Pretest before treatment begins, 5 weeks after treatment starts, 10 weeks after treatment starts, 15 weeks after treatment starts, 20 weeks after treatment starts, 1 year + 20 weeks after treatment starts ]
  • Working Memory Test Battery - Children - Listening Recall (Pickering & Gathercole, 2001) [ Time Frame: Pretest before treatment begins, 5 weeks after treatment starts, 10 weeks after treatment starts, 15 weeks after treatment starts, 20 weeks after treatment starts, 1 year + 20 weeks after treatment starts ]
  • Working Memory Test Battery- Children - Counting Recall (Pickering & Gathercole, 2001) [ Time Frame: Pretest before treatment begins, 5 weeks after treatment starts, 10 weeks after treatment starts, 15 weeks after treatment starts, 20 weeks after treatment starts, 1 year + 20 weeks after treatment starts ]
  • Wide Range Achievement Test-5-Math [ Time Frame: Pretest before treatment begins, 15 weeks after treatment starts, 1 year + 20 weeks after treatment starts ]
  • GMADE-Problem Solving & Procedures [ Time Frame: 15 weeks after treatment starts, 1 year + 20 weeks after treatment starts ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Caitlin F. Craddock, B.A.

615-491-1829c.f.craddock@vanderbilt.edu

Marcia A. Barnes, Ph.D.

615-875-2825marcia.barnes@vanderbilt.edu

Locations

Vanderbilt University

Recruiting

Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 372032417

More Information

Sponsor

Vanderbilt University

Last update posted

Oct 24, 2025

Last verified

Oct, 2025

Keywords

  • math word problem solving
  • arithmetic
  • working memory

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Vanderbilt University on 2025-10-24.