KEYS to Succeed: Cognitive and Academic Intervention Program for Children and Adolescents Surviving Cancer

NCT02573441 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1000043747
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 28
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The study will examine whether school liaison services and home-based parental tutoring can help with academic difficulties of paediatric brain tumour survivors who received cranial spinal radiation and have returned to school. Forty-five patients will participate in the project. All patients will receive psychology liaison services to link resources at the hospital with those in the community. Patients will participate in one of two tutoring programs designed to directly or indirectly improve math skills over 12 weeks. Weekly phone calls will be used to support parents using the program. Patients will be tested before, immediately after, and six months following each tutoring program to assess growth in mathematics and working memory abilities.

Conditions

Childhood Brain Tumor

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Woodcock Johnson Academic-Third Edition

  A measure of math Fluency, applied math problems, and qualitative concepts

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition Integrated

  A measure of verbal and visual working memory

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning - Second Edition

  A measure of verbal and visual working memory

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• Automated Working Memory Assessment

  A measure of verbal and visual working memory

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• Connors' Continuous Performance Test-Second Edition

  A measure of sustained attention

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Parent Version

  A measure of executive functioning

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• Monitoring Basic Skills Progress

  A measure of mathematics

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• SAM

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning - Second Edition

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• California Verbal Learning Test, Children's Version

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• CANTAB

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

• Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence - Second Edition

  Pre-intervention, 12 weeks after intervention and 6 months follow-up

Study Arms (3)

Math + Liaison Service

EXPERIMENTAL

To help with mathematics, participants will be assigned to a workbook based version of the JUMP Math program which will be completed at home with a parent. This intervention focuses on mental math skills. In addition all participants will receive the liaison service program.

Behavioral: Jump Math; Behavioral: Liaison Services

Working Memory + Liaison Service

EXPERIMENTAL

To help with working memory, participants will be assigned to Cogmed, a game-like computer exercise focusing on improving working memory. In addition all participants will receive the liaison service program.

Behavioral: Cogmed; Behavioral: Liaison Services

Liaison Services

OTHER

Participants in this group will only receive the liaison service program for 12 weeks before being assigned to one of the intervention groups.

Behavioral: Liaison Services

Interventions

Jump Math BEHAVIORAL

Jump Math is a workbook based program aimed at improving math skills

Math + Liaison Service

Cogmed BEHAVIORAL

Cogmed is an online computer program aimed at improving working memory skills

Working Memory + Liaison Service

Liaison Services BEHAVIORAL

Liaison Services will include working closely with schools to help explain the strengths and weaknesses of a child based on cognitive testing and to help with the implementation of recommendations

Liaison Services; Math + Liaison Service; Working Memory + Liaison Service

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Has been diagnosed with a brain tumour and treated with cranial radiation
• Is between 1 and 10 years following diagnosis
• Has English as his or her native language or has had at least two years of schooling in English
• Is between the ages of 6 and 17
• Less than a Grade 8 equivalent math score

You may not qualify if:

• Is younger than 6 years or older than 17 years of age
• Is receiving palliative care

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hospital for Sick Children: lead
• Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Hospital for Sick Children

Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada

Location

Study Officials

• Donald Mabbott, Ph.D.

  The Hospital for Sick Children

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Program Head, Neurosciences & Mental Health

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 7, 2015
• First Posted: October 9, 2015
• Study Start: October 1, 2015
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2018
• Study Completion: May 1, 2018
• Last Updated: July 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Locations

CA (1)