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ImpulsivityDigital healthBehavioralChildren's healthBehavioral

What this study is

Deficits in self-control are of major public health relevance as they contribute to several negative outcomes for both individuals and society. For children, developing self-control is a critically important step toward success in academic settings and social relationships, yet there are few non-pharmacological approaches that have been successful in increasing self-control. We found in our earlier studies that self-control can be increased in preschool-aged children with high impulsivity by using games in which they practice gradually increasing wait-time for larger, more delayed rewards. We are performing this current study to test if this training to increase self-control can be increased using mobile app technology, with computerized game time being used as a reward.

What's being tested

  • Shaping Delay Tolerance

    Intervention · BEHAVIORAL

    Participants will be introduced to an adaptive tablet-based application that asks the child to choose between two options: 1) a shorter duration of game play that begins immediately, or 2) a longer duration of game play that begins after a delay. Depending on the child's choices, the application alters the pre-reward delay with the intent of training the child to tolerate longer delays for larger rewards (i.e., more game play). Children may participate in up to 25 approximately 30-minute training sessions over 3-6 weeks.

Study details

Official title
Feasibility of Shaping Tolerance for Delayed Rewards in Impulsive 3-6 Year Olds
Sponsor
University of California, Davis
Conditions
Impulsivity
Enrolling
50 people
Starts
2017-09-12
Est. completion
2026-08
Design
Single-blind, randomized, parallel groups
Record
View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗