Abstract – Background
Adaptive computerized interventions may help improve preterm children’s academic success, but randomized trials are rare. We tested whether a math training (XtraMath®) versus an active control condition (Cogmed®; working memory) improved school performance. Training feasibility was also evaluated.
Methods
Preterm born first graders, N = 65 (28–35 + 6 weeks gestation) were recruited into a prospective randomized controlled multicenter trial and received one of two computerized trainings at home for 5 weeks. Teachers rated academic performance in math, reading/writing, and attention compared to classmates before (baseline), directly after (post), and 12 months after the intervention (follow-up). Total academic performance growth was calculated as change from baseline (hierarchically ordered—post test first, follow-up second).
Results
Bootstrapped linear regressions showed that academic growth to post test was significantly higher in the math intervention group (B = 0.25 [95% confidence interval: 0.04–0.50], p = 0.039), but this difference was not sustained at the 12-month follow-up (B = 0.00 [−0.31 to 0.34], p = 0.996). Parents in the XtraMath group reported higher acceptance compared with the Cogmed group (mean difference: −0.49, [−0.90 to −0.08], p = 0.037).
Conclusions
Our findings do not show a sustained difference in efficacy between both trainings. Studies of math intervention effectiveness for preterm school-aged children are warranted.
Jaekel, J., Heuser, K. M., Zapf, A., Roll, C., Nuñez, F. B., Bartmann, P., Wolke, D., Felderhoff-Mueser, U., Huening, B. (2020 – online first). Preterm children’s long-term academic performance after adaptive computerized training: an efficacy and process analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Pediatric Research. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41390-020-01114-w