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The Effects of Gum Chewing on Math Scores in Adolescents

This study has been completed.
Sponsor:
Collaborator:
The Children's Nutrition Research Center
Information provided by:
Baylor College of Medicine
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00792116
First received: October 24, 2008
Last updated: November 18, 2008
Last verified: November 2008
History of Changes
  Purpose

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.


Condition Intervention
Academic Achievement in Math
 Behavioral: Gum Chewing

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title: The Effects of Gum Chewing on Standardized Math Scores in Adolescents

Resource links provided by NLM:

MedlinePlus related topics: Anxiety
U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by Baylor College of Medicine:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Math Grades [ Time Frame: baseline (the beginning of a school semester ) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Math Scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) [ Time Frame: the beginning of a school semester ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Math Grades [ Time Frame: 14 week (end of the semester) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Math Scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). [ Time Frame: 14 weeks (end of the semester) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • State Anxiety Scores on the State Trait Anxiety Index for Children (STAIC). [ Time Frame: the beginning of a school semester and 14 weeks later (the end of a school semester) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Math Scores on the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ-III) [ Time Frame: the beginning of a school semester and 14 weeks later (the end of a school semester) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Scores on the Math Anxiety Rating Scale for Adolescents (MARS-A) [ Time Frame: the beginning of a school semester and 14 weeks later (the end of a school semester) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Enrollment: 108
Study Start Date: February 2008
Study Completion Date: May 2008
Primary Completion Date: May 2008 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Gum Chewing Behavioral: Gum Chewing
No Intervention: Non-gum chewing

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   13 Years to 16 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Enrollment in eight grade math class

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Parents did not consent to participation
  Contacts and Locations
No Contacts or Locations Provided
  More Information

No publications provided by Baylor College of Medicine

Additional publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):

Responsible Party: Craig Johnston
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00792116     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: gum and math scores
Study First Received: October 24, 2008
Results First Received: October 24, 2008
Last Updated: November 18, 2008
Health Authority: United States: Institutional Review Board

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 19, 2013