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Improving children's executive functions: evidence from Brazil

Last registered on September 30, 2020
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Improving children's executive functions: evidence from Brazil
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0006547
Initial registration date
September 29, 2020

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
September 30, 2020, 10:25 AM EDT

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

Locations

Country
Brazil
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Guilherme Hirata
Affiliation
IDados
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status
Completed
Start date
2016-05-25
End date
2016-12-14
Keywords
Education
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Abstract
In this RCT, we test whether martial arts can provide a stimulating environment for boosting children’s executive functions. We explore a preschool program that randomly assigned schools to receive capoeira classes. Instruments measure inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Hirata, Guilherme. 2020. "Improving children's executive functions: evidence from Brazil." AEA RCT Registry. September 30. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.6547-1.1
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2016-08-01
Intervention End Date
2016-12-14

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Preschools were randomly assigned to 3 groups: 1 control group and 2 groups receiving capoeira classes. The two capoeira groups were offered slightly different capoeira classes. We considered both as a single treatment. All children enrolled in a given school were allowed to take the capoeira classes. Outcomes were measured before and after the intervention.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by a computer.
Randomization Unit
Preschools buildings (some school units run in the same building, so they were considered a single school). Stratification was used: urban/rural, previous school participation in a coaching program, and if the school building had more than one school. Within each strata, schools were assigned to the groups.
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
116 preschools buindings (132 schools units).
Sample size: planned number of observations
1,900 pupils.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
37 schools control, 69 schools capoeira.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
IRB Approval Date
IRB Approval Number
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
Yes
Intervention Completion Date
December 14, 2016, 12:00 +00:00
Data Collection Complete
Yes
Data Collection Completion Date
December 14, 2016, 12:00 +00:00
Final Sample Size: Number of Clusters (Unit of Randomization)
113 schools
Was attrition correlated with treatment status?
No
Final Sample Size: Total Number of Observations
1,810 pupils.
Final Sample Size (or Number of Clusters) by Treatment Arms
36 schools control, 77 schools treatment
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

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Program Files

Program Files
No
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Abstract
Physical activities have several benefits for mental and physical health, but the evidence on preschool-age children is limited. This article tests whether martial arts can provide a stimulating environment for boosting children’s executive functions. Exploring a preschool programme that randomly assigned schools to receive capoeira classes, we estimate an intention-to-treat effect on children’s inhibitory control, short-term memory, and cognitive flexibility. Results show modest positive impacts on inhibitory control only. Treated children performed 0.13 of a standard deviation better than the control group. Instrumental variable estimation provides additional positive impact on children’s inhibitory control. In addition, children living in households that receive the Bolsa Família grant and those born to mothers with low schooling levels tend to show larger impacts.
Citation
Guilherme Hirata, Improving children’s executive functions: evidence from capoeira, Oxford Economic Papers, Volume 75, Issue 2, April 2023, Pages 490–506, https://doi.org/10.1093/oep/gpac027
URL
https://academic.oup.com/oep/article-abstract/75/2/490/6613225

Reports & Other Materials