The Effects of Gum Chewing on Math Scores in Adolescents

The Effects of Gum Chewing on Standardized Math Scores in Adolescents

Context: Gum chewing has been shown to increase cognitive functioning. With the rise in standardized testing of school-age children and the concurrent attempts to improve their scores, finding simple and inexpensive methods to bolster performance is needed.

Objective: To examine the effects of gum chewing on standardized test scores and class grades in a group of 8th grade math students.

Design: Math classes were randomized to a gum chewing (GC) condition that provided students with gum during class and testing, or a control condition with no gum (NG) provided during class and testing. This study was conducted during the Spring 2008 school semester.

Setting: A charter school in Houston, TX.

Participants: All students enrolled in eighth grade math at the charter school were approached for recruitment in this study. A total of 108 (94%) students participated. Participants were between the ages of 13 and 16.

Main Outcome Measures: The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ-III), and math class grades were used to assess any differences in academic performance between the GC and NGC conditions. For purposes of this study, only the math sections of the WJ-III and TAKS, which are both standardized tests, were assessed.

Our primary hypothesis was that adolescents in a gum chewing (GC) condition would have significantly improved standardized test scores and math grades compared to adolescents in a non-gum chewing (NG) control condition.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Academic Achievement in Math
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Gum Chewing

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 108
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 13 years to 16 years (CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Enrollment in eight grade math class

Exclusion Criteria:

• Parents did not consent to participation

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Gum Chewing	Behavioral: Gum Chewing
NO_INTERVENTION: Non-gum chewing

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Math Scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)	The TAKS test is a statewide standardized test administered to all Texas schoolchildren (15). The TAKS assesses reading, math, science, and social studies for 8th grade students; however, the current study analyzed only math scores.	the beginning of a school semester
Math Grades		baseline (the beginning of a school semester )
Math Scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).	The TAKS test is a statewide standardized test administered to all Texas schoolchildren (15). The TAKS assesses reading, math, science, and social studies for 8th grade students; however, the current study analyzed only math scores.	14 weeks (end of the semester)
Math Grades		14 week (end of the semester)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Math Scores on the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ-III)	The WJ-III (10) is a standardized test battery used to assess an individual's academic strengths and weaknesses. For purposes of the current study, students were given the 4 math subtests of the WJ-III.	the beginning of a school semester and 14 weeks later (the end of a school semester)
Scores on the Math Anxiety Rating Scale for Adolescents (MARS-A)	he MARS-A (12) is a 98-item scale that lists various everyday situations in which adolescents may have to use mathematics.	the beginning of a school semester and 14 weeks later (the end of a school semester)
State Anxiety Scores on the State Trait Anxiety Index for Children (STAIC).	The STAIC is a scale that distinguishes between a situationally based anxiety and a general intrinsic inclination towards experiencing feelings of anxiety	the beginning of a school semester and 14 weeks later (the end of a school semester)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Baylor College of Medicine
• Collaborators: The Children's Nutrition Research Center

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Johnston CA, Tyler C, Stansberry SA, Moreno JP, Foreyt JP. Brief report: gum chewing affects standardized math scores in adolescents. J Adolesc. 2012 Apr;35(2):455-9. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2011.04.003. Epub 2011 May 26.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: February 1, 2008
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): May 1, 2008
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): May 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 24, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 14, 2008
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): November 17, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): November 20, 2008
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 18, 2008
• Last Verified: November 1, 2008

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: gum and math scores