Math & Cognitive Skill Interventions for Dyscalculia

Overseen By Vinod Menon, Ph.D.

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Stanford University

Must not be taking: Psychiatric medications

Disqualifiers: Neurological, Psychiatric, Head injury, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 6 weeks

180 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

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).

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial excludes participants who are on consistent psychiatric medications, so you may need to stop taking them to participate.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Interventions in Mathematics and Cognitive Skills for dyscalculia?

Research shows that children with dyscalculia benefit from numeracy intervention programs that focus on basic numerical and conceptual knowledge, leading to significant improvements in calculation skills. Additionally, computer-based training programs like Calcularis have been shown to enhance numerical cognition and arithmetic operations in children with mathematical difficulties. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Math & Cognitive Skill Interventions for Dyscalculia safe for humans?

The studies reviewed did not report any safety concerns or adverse effects related to the math and cognitive skill interventions for dyscalculia, suggesting they are generally safe for use in humans. ^{1 4 6 7 8}

How is the Math & Cognitive Skill Interventions treatment for dyscalculia different from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it combines math intervention strategies with cognitive skills enhancement, focusing on both basic numerical knowledge and conceptual understanding, which are often neglected in traditional school settings. It is tailored to individual needs and can be delivered in small groups or one-on-one, making it flexible and potentially more effective than standard approaches. ^{1 2 3 5 9}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for elementary school children aged 6-12 with an IQ over 70. It's aimed at those struggling with math, scoring below the 25-35th percentile in certain tests, and typically developing kids who score above that range. Participants must have normal vision and hearing, be right-handed for MRI scans, and not have psychiatric disorders or head injuries.

Inclusion Criteria

Only people who are right-handed can participate in the MRI scan.

My vision is normal or corrected to normal, and I don't have hearing problems.

If you score lower than most people on a math test and have trouble with math in general, you may not be able to join the study.

Exclusion Criteria

I have had a head injury due to an accident or trauma.

I have a history of mental health issues like schizophrenia or ADHD.

My psychiatric medications have been stable.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants undergo Integrative Symbolic Non-Symbolic (iSNS) training or Active Control Intervention over a period of 6 weeks to enhance numerical skills

6 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in cognitive and neural measures post-intervention

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Interventions in Mathematics and Cognitive Skills

Trial Overview The study is testing educational interventions to improve mathematical skills in children with learning disabilities compared to typical development. It examines how these interventions affect brain function and decision-making related to numbers.

Participant Groups

Group I: Integrative Symbolic Non-Symbolic (iSNS) Training Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Integrative symbolic non-symbolic (iSNS) training: Over a period of 6 weeks, participants will complete activities that progressively strengthen the mapping of symbolic numerical representations to non-symbolic numerical quantities and enhance fluency in symbolic numerical skills.

Group II: Active Comparator: Active Control Intervention (Working Memory Training) Active Control 1 Intervention

Active control intervention: Over a period of 6 weeks, participants will complete activities that enhance short-term storage and maintenance of visuospatial or verbal information.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Stanford University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator

Trials

2,103

Recruited

2,760,000+

Findings from Research

Children with developmental dyscalculia showed significant improvements in their calculation skills after participating in a numeracy intervention program focused on basic numerical and conceptual knowledge.

The study involved six children who received individualized and small-group training over one school semester, highlighting the effectiveness of targeted teaching in areas often overlooked in traditional math education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of a numeracy intervention program focusing on basic numerical knowledge and conceptual knowledge: a pilot study. Kaufmann, L., Handl, P., Thöny, B.[2022]

The adaptive game software 'The Number Race' effectively trains children with dyscalculia by personalizing numerical tasks based on their individual performance levels, utilizing a sophisticated algorithm that considers various difficulty dimensions.

After five weeks of use with nine children experiencing mathematical learning difficulties, the software showed positive adaptability to different learning speeds and received favorable feedback from users, indicating its potential for broader educational applications.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Principles underlying the design of "The Number Race", an adaptive computer game for remediation of dyscalculia. Wilson, AJ., Dehaene, S., Pinel, P., et al.[2018]

The software designed to remediate dyscalculia showed promising results in a small open-trial with nine children aged 7-9, leading to significant improvements in core number sense tasks, particularly in subtraction accuracy which increased by an average of 23%.

While the software effectively enhanced specific skills like speed in numerical comparison, it did not improve performance in addition and base-10 comprehension, indicating that further research is needed to explore its broader efficacy and optimal timing for intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An open trial assessment of "The Number Race", an adaptive computer game for remediation of dyscalculia. Wilson, AJ., Revkin, SK., Cohen, D., et al.[2018]

The Calcularis computer-based training program significantly improved number representation and arithmetic skills in 32 children with developmental dyscalculia over a 6-12 week period, with daily 20-minute sessions.

Children enjoyed using the program and reported enhanced mathematical abilities, indicating both efficacy and positive user experience in learning mathematics.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Design and evaluation of the computer-based training program Calcularis for enhancing numerical cognition. Käser, T., Baschera, GM., Kohn, J., et al.[2021]

Recent advancements in the diagnosis of dyscalculia have led to improved testing methods that assess basic numerical skills rather than just curriculum-based math performance.

International studies indicate that specialized interventions for children with dyscalculia are effective, highlighting the importance of tailored treatment approaches in clinical practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Symptoms diagnosis and treatment of dyscalulia]. Ise, E., Schulte-Körne, G.[2013]

A longitudinal study identified two groups of Grade 3 students with different math abilities: those with persistent difficulties (PD group) and those who improved (IP group), highlighting the importance of early identification of math disabilities.

A conceptual intervention focusing on explicit teaching of basic arithmetic significantly benefited the PD group, particularly in written calculations and multiplication speed, suggesting that targeted remediation can effectively address core number deficits in older students.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessment and conceptual remediation of basic calculation skills in elementary school students. Karakonstantaki, ES., Simos, PG., Michalis, V., et al.[2019]

5% to 8% of school-age children experience memory or cognitive deficits that hinder their learning in mathematics, indicating a significant prevalence of learning challenges in this area.

The review categorizes these deficits into three subtypes of mathematics learning disability and connects research on mathematical cognition with learning disabilities, suggesting a need for targeted interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mathematics and learning disabilities. Geary, DC.[2019]

Specific neurocognitive abilities, such as visual-spatial skills and attention, are crucial for mathematical development, especially in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Children with conditions like congenital disorders or those treated for cancer, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, may face greater challenges in math learning due to disruptions in these essential neurocognitive systems.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mathematics development and difficulties: the role of visual-spatial perception and other cognitive skills. Barnes, MA., Raghubar, KP.[2019]

A single case study demonstrated that a theory-based cognitive treatment significantly improved numerical and calculation abilities in a 7.4-year-old child with developmental dyscalculia after 12 months of tailored intervention.

Despite the improvements in numerical tasks, the child remained slower than peers, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and intervention to achieve clinically significant changes and prevent further behavioral and emotional issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of neuropsychological rehabilitation on numerical and calculation abilities: A developmental case study. De Nigris, A., Masciarelli, G., Guariglia, C.[2021]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of a numeracy intervention program focusing on basic numerical knowledge and conceptual knowledge: a pilot study. [2022]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Principles underlying the design of "The Number Race", an adaptive computer game for remediation of dyscalculia. [2018]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An open trial assessment of "The Number Race", an adaptive computer game for remediation of dyscalculia. [2018]

4. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Design and evaluation of the computer-based training program Calcularis for enhancing numerical cognition. [2021]

5. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Symptoms diagnosis and treatment of dyscalulia]. [2013]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessment and conceptual remediation of basic calculation skills in elementary school students. [2019]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mathematics and learning disabilities. [2019]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mathematics development and difficulties: the role of visual-spatial perception and other cognitive skills. [2019]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of neuropsychological rehabilitation on numerical and calculation abilities: A developmental case study. [2021]