Toward a More Comprehensive Evaluation of Interventions: A Dose-Response Curve Analysis of an Explicit Timing Intervention

Abstract

When remedying student academic deficits, educators must decide not only upon the intervention package to employ but how much of that intervention to deliver in order to provide an effective dose. In the current study, various doses of an explicit timing math fluency intervention package were evaluated with 105 fourth-grade students to identify the range of effective doses. Results indicate that doses of one 2-min intervention per day for 20 days (40 cumulative min) was the minimum required to produce a measurable treatment effect. Higher doses were also found to be effective. Discussion focuses on how using dose-response curve analysis can provide a more comprehensive evaluation of interventions that can better inform practitioners who are attempting to prevent and remedy academic skill deficits. Implications for future studies and expanded evaluation of treatments and treatment catalysts are also discussed.