The effects of an intervention to promote mental arithmetic automatization on arithmetic performance in first-graders.

Last registered on October 10, 2025
View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
The effects of an intervention to promote mental arithmetic automatization on arithmetic performance in first-graders.
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0016024
Initial registration date
September 22, 2025

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
October 10, 2025, 9:22 AM EDT

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

Locations

Country
Netherlands
Region
Netherlands

Primary Investigator

Name
Melvin Vooren
Affiliation
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2025-09-01
End date
2026-07-31
Keywords
Education
Additional Keywords
Mental Arithmetic
JEL code(s)
I26
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
We investigate the effects of a digital mental arithmetic intervention on arithmetic achievement. We recruit 43 schools with in total 67 classrooms for a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The randomization unit is the classroom. The trial is conducted in the 2025-2026 academic year starting mid-October 2025.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Vooren, Melvin. 2025. "The effects of an intervention to promote mental arithmetic automatization on arithmetic performance in first-graders.." AEA RCT Registry. October 10. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.16024-1.0
Sponsors & Partners

Sponsors

Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2025-10-01
Intervention End Date
2026-07-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Arithmetic automization (Bareka test) and Arithmetic achievement (LVS-score)
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We investigate the effects of a digital mental arithmetic intervention on arithmetic achievement. We recruit 43 schools with in total 67 classrooms for a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The randomization unit is the classroom. The trial is conducted in the 2025-2026 academic year starting mid-October 2025.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by a computer
Randomization Unit
Classroom
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
67 classrooms
Sample size: planned number of observations
23 pupils per classroom multiplied by 67 classrooms
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
34 classrooms treatment, 33 classrooms control
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
IRB Approval Date
IRB Approval Number
Analysis Plan