Evaluating the Impact of a Targeted Approach Designed to Build Executive Function Skills: A Randomized Trial of Brain Games.

Sophie P Barnes,Stephanie M Jones,Rebecca Bailey

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.655246

Abstract

This paper reports results from an impact study of Brain Games (BGs), a classroom-based intervention designed to build preschool and school-aged children’s executive functions (EFs) and related self-regulation skills. The study employed a classroom-randomized, experimental design with 626 students in 36 pre-K through fourth grade classrooms in charter schools in a mid-sized urban district. In one set of models with child covariates, children in intervention classrooms showed marginal positive impacts on regulation-related behaviors, attention control and impulsivity, and negative effects on global EF and marginal increases in discipline problems. A second set of models with a smaller sample and both child and classroom covariates included indicate positive impacts of BGs on global EFs, prosocial behavior, and attention control and impulsivity. There were no significant impacts on the teacher–student relationship as reported by the teacher or on direct assessments of inhibitory control, short term and working memory, or another measure of global EF in either set of models. These promising findings offer a signal that implementation of targeted, easy to implement intervention approaches in classroom contexts can influence children’s regulation-related and prosocial outcomes, but this signal should be investigated further with larger and more tightly controlled designs.

Highlights

Over the past several decades, a robust body of literature has emerged documenting the foundational role of social and emotional skills for learning, behavior, and health (Durlak et al, 2011; Moffitt et al, 2011; Greenberg et al, 2017; Jones and Doolittle, 2017)
Differences between attritted and non-attritted students were not calculated on the measure of global executive functions (EFs) (TMT), short term memory (FDS) or working memory (BDS), as only one student with baseline data did not have spring outcome data
Evidence presented in this article from Model 2 indicate marginal improvements in teacher-reported regulation-related skills and observer-reported attention and impulsivity, though all marginal effects should be interpreted with caution

Summary

Introduction

Over the past several decades, a robust body of literature has emerged documenting the foundational role of social and emotional skills for learning, behavior, and health (Durlak et al, 2011; Moffitt et al, 2011; Greenberg et al, 2017; Jones and Doolittle, 2017). Long-term correlational studies document that social and emotional skills in childhood such as social competence and self-control are associated with important life outcomes 20–30 years later including labor market success, higher education, physical and mental health, low substance use, personal finances, and low criminal offending (Moffitt et al, 2011; Jones D. et al, 2015, 2019b). We describe the Brain Games (BG) intervention, our study design and results, and locate the findings in the current body of EF-focused intervention literature

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Conclusion