Study Protocol: Cognitive, Emotional and Social Stimulation Programme for Low-SES Children.
NCT ID: NCT07281482
Last Updated: 2025-12-17
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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NOT_YET_RECRUITING
NA
500 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2026-01-26
2028-01-30
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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In response to the results and observations of the studies carried out within the framework of project 0C138/2020 'MEJORA GUATE', this research proposes intervention objectives for the needs of the participating population, based on a more holistic strategy that integrates the child and their immediate environment. Considering that caregivers and teachers mediate cognitive, emotional, and social development, this project seeks to improve the impact on the different areas of the child's performance. To achieve the planned objectives, work will be carried out through three main axes of application: the neuropsychological stimulation axis, the neurodevelopment training axis, and the dissemination axis, which will in turn be divided into two phases.
The Neuropsychological Stimulation Axis: aims to improve and enhance the development of the cognitive and emotional skills of children from disadvantaged areas of Colombia through direct intervention with them through group activities carried out in their usual educational contexts. To this end, innovative neuropsychological tools from the clinical care of children with neurodevelopmental disorders will be applied to the cognitive and emotional stimulation of these children at risk of social exclusion.
The Training Axis: will build the knowledge base on neurodevelopment and brain function in learning, with the aim of promoting best practice in the implementation of teaching staff, as well as parenting practices and home support by carers. The training will be delivered in a dual format, face-to-face and online, following pedagogical processes with established didactic objectives, evaluation criteria and monitoring of the training received.
The Dissemination Axis: aims to disseminate the advances and results of the research, as well as the pedagogical content of the training, which will generate a greater social reach by promoting complementary channels through which the content on learning and its brain functioning can be shared with different social actors in a didactic and pedagogical way. In terms of resources, it is proposed to create a handbook of good practices to serve as a model for other educational communities, a website with didactic resources and asynchronous training processes, as well as fluid channels for sharing knowledge through social networks commonly used by these groups, such as WhatsApp or Instagram.
The methodology proposed for the implementation of this project aims to promote, from a didactic, longitudinal and cumulative perspective, the improvement of the academic performance and quality of life of Colombian children at risk of social exclusion. By combining the three axes mentioned above, the researchers hope to achieve long-term improvements in the performance of these children. It is clear to us that a professional who understands how to use children's learning to improve their academic performance and quality of life will not only benefit the children, but also many others who may subsequently benefit from the learning of the teachers and carers involved in the project.
A teacher who understands how their students' brains work can improve their teaching strategies by enhancing learning resources. And a caregiver who recognises and identifies the needs of children's brains when they are learning or reviewing academic content in the home can help them learn more effectively.
Therefore, this proposal aims to strengthen the affected cognitive functions and prevent the persistence of their negative effects on participants. To achieve this latter goal, a contextual intervention is proposed to inform about brain functioning during learning acquisition, addressing key concepts of neurodevelopment and the neurocognitive processes involved in learning. Likewise, it seeks to offer specific strategies to parents, caregivers, and teachers in order to promote critical reflection on the quality of support provided to children. It is hoped that this intervention will not only have a positive impact on educational and care practices during the implementation of the project but also generate sustainable changes over time.
The inclusion of caregivers and teachers in the intervention is based on the analysis of results obtained in previous studies, which show that their participation is key to enhancing the positive effects on children. This measure responds to the need to address contextual factors that, in the absence of adequate support, can limit the effectiveness of interventions aimed exclusively at children.
This cognitive stimulation programme incorporates specific activities that promote emotional intelligence, the ability to recognise emotions (our own and those of others) and social cognition (a set of skills that allow us to understand the thoughts and emotions of others, "putting ourselves in the other person's shoes", thus improving empathy). Consequently, it is expected that the improvement of cognitive and emotional skills will have a positive impact on students' academic performance as one of the basic pillars on which meaningful and lasting learning is based.
In the long term, cognitive, emotional and academic improvements are expected to have a positive effect on the expectations and quality of life of these children at risk of social exclusion. The promotion of comprehensive health and well-being conditions is expected to lead to a more inclusive childhood and social development that will bring them closer to a more hopeful future as adults. Among the innovative elements, the use of web-based neurorehabilitation platforms and digital applications stands out, which until now have only been applied in clinical treatment contexts (neurodevelopmental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Intellectual Disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder).
In this project, these tools are made available free of charge to children at risk of social exclusion.
For its part, developing training for educators and caregivers allows the approach from the different contexts involved in the child's learning. These trainings will be face-to-face and online and will rely on the use of new information technologies, video tutorials through social networks, to maximise the participation of educators from different locations and caregivers who usually have limited availability. Overall, these innovations are expected to promote a healthier and more effective environment for children's cognitive and emotional development, with a positive impact on the participants' academic performance, on their quality of life and on the people (teachers and caregivers) who directly or indirectly contribute to it.
Conditions
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
CROSSOVER
TREATMENT
SINGLE
Study Groups
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Cognitive stimulation group
The experimental group receives cognitive stimulation through platforms such as Cognifit and Neuronup.
Cognitive and emotional stimulation
Continuous cognitive and emotional stimulation is provided in the school setting.
Training for parents and teachers
Training in neuroeducation and learning strategies focused on brain function will be provided for teachers and parents, with the level of depth appropriate for each group.
placebo group
The control group receives random activities that do not affect their cognitive development.
Random activities
Random activities will be carried out for the control group that will not include the improvement of cognitive functions.
Interventions
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Cognitive and emotional stimulation
Continuous cognitive and emotional stimulation is provided in the school setting.
Random activities
Random activities will be carried out for the control group that will not include the improvement of cognitive functions.
Training for parents and teachers
Training in neuroeducation and learning strategies focused on brain function will be provided for teachers and parents, with the level of depth appropriate for each group.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* Belonging to a school in a disadvantaged area of the city of application.
* Informed consent signed by the participant's legal guardian.
* Verbal consent of the participants.
* Possess basic reading skills in Spanish and sufficient motor skills to handle tablets or use a computer mouse.
Exclusion Criteria
* Being enrolled in a school year other than fourth and fifth grade of elementary school or sixth and seventh grade of secondary school.
* Not belonging to a disadvantaged area of the city of Cali.
* Having a physical disability that prevents the use of tablets and mice.
* Not having signed the participation consent form by their parents.
9 Years
12 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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Cognifit
UNKNOWN
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
OTHER
Universidad Loyola Andalucia
OTHER
Universidad de San Buenaventura
OTHER
Neuronup S.L.
UNKNOWN
Joan Deus Yela
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Joan Deus Yela
Doctor en Psicología
Principal Investigators
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Joan Deus-Yela, PhD
Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
Joaquín Ibáñez-Alfonso, PhD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Universidad Loyola Andalucia
José Barroso-Tristan, PhD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Seville
Locations
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Institución Educativa la Buitrera
Cali, Valle del Cauca Department, Colombia
Colegio Fray Luis Amigo
Cali, Valle del Cauca Department, Colombia
Countries
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Central Contacts
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Facility Contacts
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References
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Garcia-Navarro C, Company-Cordoba R, Sianes A, Ibanez-Alfonso JA. Cognitive Intervention Programs in Minors Belonging to Disadvantaged Contexts in Spain: A Systematic Review. Children (Basel). 2022 Aug 28;9(9):1306. doi: 10.3390/children9091306.
Ibáñez-Alfonso JA, Company-Córdoba R,, García de la Cadena C. Innovative tools for the assessment of cognitive development in contexts of socioeconomic vulnerability. Practical guide for children and adolescents in Guatemala. 2020
Rodriguez-Prieto P, Simpson IC, Gomez-Baya D, Garcia de la Cadena C, Ruiz-Aranda D, Ibanez-Alfonso JA. Neuropsychological Stimulation Program for Children from Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Mar 6;12(5):596. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12050596.
Rodriguez-Prieto P, Giral-Oliveros NA, Simpson IC, Ibanez-Alfonso JA. Cognitive stimulation in socioeconomically disadvantaged children with neurodevelopmental disorders: a case series. Front Psychol. 2024 Jul 9;15:1365697. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1365697. eCollection 2024.
Ibanez-Alfonso JA, Company-Cordoba R, Garcia de la Cadena C, Sianes A, Simpson IC. How Living in Vulnerable Conditions Undermines Cognitive Development: Evidence from the Pediatric Population of Guatemala. Children (Basel). 2021 Jan 29;8(2):90. doi: 10.3390/children8020090.
Company-Cordoba R, Gomez-Baya D, Lopez-Gavino F, Ibanez-Alfonso JA. Mental Health, Quality of Life and Violence Exposure in Low-Socioeconomic Status Children and Adolescents of Guatemala. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 19;17(20):7620. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17207620.
Other Identifiers
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UAB-ACTIVA-MENTE-2025-01
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id