Exploring Effects of an Early Math Intervention: The Importance of Parent-child Interaction
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We explore whether training parents' math skills or playing number games improves children's mathematical skills. Participants were 162 parent-child dyads; 88.3% were white and children (79 female) were 4 years (M = 46.88 months). Dyads were assigned to a number game, shape game, parent-only approximate number system training, parent-only general trivia, or a no-training control condition and asked to play twice weekly for 8 weeks. Children in the number game condition gained over 15% SD on an assessment of mathematical skill than did those in the no-training control. After 8 additional weeks without training, effects diminished; however, children of parents in the ANS condition underperformed those in the no-treatment control, which was partially explained by changes in the home numeracy environment.
Jiang Y, Wang X PLoS One. 2024; 19(4):e0301758.
PMID: 38635532 PMC: 11025770. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301758.
The benefits of math activities depend on the skills children bring to the table.
Silver A, Elliott L, Ribner A, Libertus M Dev Psychol. 2023; 60(2):376-388.
PMID: 38095996 PMC: 10841184. DOI: 10.1037/dev0001637.