Implementation of an early intervention to improve executive function in São Paulo, Brazil: A randomized trial of Brain Games

• In Event: Implementation findings from three different approaches to social emotional learning in Brazil early education

Proposal

In this paper we present implementation findings from a randomized control trial (RCT) of an early childhood intervention called Brain Games in São Paulo, Brazil. Initially developed in US settings as part of a comprehensive social-emotional learning (SEL) program called SECURe (Jones, Bailey, & Jacob, 2014), Brain Games are 5-10 minute games designed to build children’s executive function and self-regulation skills (e.g., working memory, inhibition, flexibility, and attention) and can be easily integrated into classroom instruction and daily routines.

Prior research found that Brain Games were effective at building children’s regulation-related skills, reducing discipline problems, and improving classroom climate/teacher practices in low-income elementary schools in the US (Barnes, Partee, Bailey, & Jones, 2016). On average, teachers in the US studies played one game per day throughout the school year. Using recently collected data from studies of Brain Games in international refugee contexts, one study in Lebanon found that Brain Games were implemented with expected dosage 88% of the time (Bailey, Frisoli, Barnes, Awada, & Temko, 2018), while another study in Niger found that Brain Games were implemented with expected dosage only 34% of the time (Bailey, Temko, Barnes, & Jones, 2018). While little is known about how much dosage is required to achieve positive outcomes, these early findings suggest that implementation of Brain Games is highly variable across settings, and therefore requires deliberate study in order to accurately interpret impact evaluation findings and to understand the relevance and effectiveness of Brain Games for children and classrooms across diverse contexts.

The current study in São Paulo is embedded within a larger “parent” study called the Western Region Cohort Project – a longitudinal study of health and development following 6000 mother-child dyads since birth. The Brain Games study involves 600 children between 3-5 years of age who are attending public crèches, or early childhood centers. Sixty crèches were randomized to either the treatment or control group. Teachers assigned to the treatment group (n=30) were trained in summer 2018 and were asked to play one Brain Game per day through March 2019. Throughout the study period, we collected the following data: a) weekly implementation logs, in which teachers track frequency, time spent on Brain Games, and any adaptations; b) monthly classroom observation tool, in which trained coaches document fidelity and quality of implementation; and c) monthly coaching notes based on structured conversations with teachers.

Using these data, our paper will explore the following dimensions of implementation: fidelity (what components are delivered and with what level of adherence/compliance), dosage (how much is delivered), quality (how well it is delivered), reach (was it delivered to all intended participants), and participant responsiveness (how was it received/how engaged were program participants). We will discuss the nature of Brain Games implementation over the course of the year and implications for interpreting impact findings. Additionally, we will compare our findings to Brain Games implementation studies in other domestic and international contexts. Finally, will consider implications for other efforts to adapt and implement evidence-based SEL strategies in international contexts.

Authors

• Sophie Barnes, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Rebecca Bailey, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Alexandra Brentani, University of Sao Paulo

• Dana McCoy, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Stephanie M Jones, Harvard Graduate School of Education