Visual values affirmation to increase student testing performance

Last registered on June 17, 2018

View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title

Visual values affirmation to increase student testing performance

RCT ID

AEARCTR-0003081

Initial registration date

June 13, 2018

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published

June 17, 2018, 7:27 PM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country

Lebanon

Region

Primary Investigator

Name

Daniel Shephard

Affiliation

Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name

Fadi Makki

PI Affiliation

American University of Beirut

Contact Investigator

PI Name

Nour Mohanna

PI Affiliation

Nudge Lebanon

Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status

On going

Start date

2018-05-24

End date

2018-07-31

Keywords

Education

Additional Keywords

Affirmation, Behavioral, Values

JEL code(s)

I25, I24, I29, C93

Secondary IDs

Abstract

Directing students’ attention to the aspects of their life that they value can serve as a buffer against the activation of stereotype threat and anxiety in schooling. As a result, values affirmation exercises have been shown to result in improvements in academic performance. This positive effect may be particularly powerful when done before tests that are diagnostic and might confirm or disconfirm a stereotype about a groups’ performance. This study will evaluate if students of an accelerated youth literacy and numeracy program achieve higher scores on a test of their numeracy, Arabic, and English skills after completing a values affirmation task using drawing. The study will recruit participants of an accelerated education program in Lebanon between the ages of 14 and 24. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a values affirmation activity or a placebo activity of drawing a depiction of their morning routine.

External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation

Makki, Fadi, Nour Mohanna and Daniel Shephard. 2018. "Visual values affirmation to increase student testing performance." AEA RCT Registry. June 17. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.3081-1.0

Former Citation

Makki, Fadi, Nour Mohanna and Daniel Shephard. 2018. "Visual values affirmation to increase student testing performance." AEA RCT Registry. June 17. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/3081/history/30859

Sponsors & Partners

Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)

A values affirmation task using drawing in which participants rank their values in order of the values' importance to them and then are asked to draw their highest ranked value.

Intervention Start Date

2018-05-31

Intervention End Date

2018-06-14

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)

1. Increase in the students score on the (a) math, (b) Arabic, and (c) English portions of the exam (compared to the placement test).
2. Raw level (simple difference) of exam scores in (a) math, (b) Arabic, and (c) English.

Primary Outcomes (explanation)

The exams will be scored in the normal manner and the change will be determined by comparing to the baseline (entrance) exam score for the same students. Each of the 3 tests will be graded and analyzed separately.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)

Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Individuals were randomized using a pre-determined randomized sequence that was stratified by the 7 educational center locations. Randomization was conducted using the randomizr v0.12.0 package in R.

Experimental Design Details

Stratified randomized sequences were generated for the locations of Kamed Loz, Machgara, Hara Hreik, Chayah, Hay Solom, Tyre, and Bazouyreh. Students with consent forms then lined up at each center to receive their activity and room assignment. Those assigned to the intervention received the values affirmation activity and were assigned to one room while those assigned to the control group were given the placebo activity and assigned to the control room. This randomization was done under the supervision of one or more research team members to ensure that the sequence was followed and that only individuals with consent forms entered the trial.

Randomization Method

Randomization done in office by computer beforehand.

Randomization Unit

Individual stratified by location.

Was the treatment clustered?

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters

120

Sample size: planned number of observations

120

Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms

60 treatment and 60 control individuals.

Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)

The study estimates a minimum detectable effect size of 0.32 standard deviations assuming an alpha of 0. 10, a beta of 0.20, and using a standardized effect size (sigma = 1.0).

Supporting Documents and Materials

IRB