Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39966394›Full record

ArticleNPJ science of learning2025

Enhancing children's numeracy and executive functions via their explicit integration.

Gaia Scerif, Jelena Sučević, Hannah Andrews, Emma Blakey, Sylvia U Gattas, Amy Godfrey, Zachary Hawes, Steven J Howard, Liberty Kent, Rebecca Merkley and 3 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in NPJ science of learning, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Toward a Causal Science of Early Play?Infancy : the official journal of the International Society on Infant Studies
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Gaia ScerifDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. gaia.scerif@psy.ox.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6371-8875
Jelena SučevićDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Hannah AndrewsDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Emma BlakeyDepartment of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3685-3649
Sylvia U GattasDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Amy GodfreyDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Zachary HawesDepartment of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Steven J HowardEarly Start and School of Education, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1258-3210
Liberty KentDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Rebecca MerkleyDepartment of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Rosemary O'ConnorDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Fionnuala O'ReillyDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Victoria SimmsSchool of Psychology, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK.

Funding

Nuffield Foundation FR-000022619
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Executive functions (EF) are crucial to regulating learning and are predictors of emerging mathematics. However, interventions that leverage EF to improve mathematics remain poorly understood. 193 four-year-olds (mean age = 3 years; 11 months pre-intervention; 111 female, 69% White) were assessed 5 months apart, with 103 children randomised to an integrated EF and mathematics intervention. Our pre-registered hypotheses proposed that the intervention would improve mathematics more than practice as usual. Multi-level modelling and network analyses were applied to the data. The intervention group improved more than the control group in overall numeracy, even when controlling for differences across settings in EF and mathematics-enhancing practices. EF and mathematics measures showed greater interconnectedness post-intervention. In addition, disadvantaged children in the intervention group made greater gains than in the control group. Our findings emphasise the need to consider EFs in their integration with co-developing functions, and in their educational and socio-economic context.

Identifiers

PMID39966394
PMCPMC11836118

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.