The Effects of Gum Chewing on Math Scores in Adolescents

NCT ID: NCT00792116

Last Updated: 2008-11-20

Study Results

Results available

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

108 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2008-02-29

Study Completion Date

2008-05-31

Brief Summary

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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.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Academic Achievement in Math

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Gum Chewing

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Gum Chewing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Non-gum chewing

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Gum Chewing

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Enrollment in eight grade math class

Exclusion Criteria

* Parents did not consent to participation
Minimum Eligible Age

13 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

16 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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The Children's Nutrition Research Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Baylor College of Medicine

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

References

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Johnston CA, Tyler C, Stansberry SA, Moreno JP, Foreyt JP. Brief report: gum chewing affects standardized math scores in adolescents. J Adolesc. 2012 Apr;35(2):455-9. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2011.04.003. Epub 2011 May 26.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 21620465 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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gum and math scores

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id