Can the attention training technique turn one marshmallow into two? Improving children's ability to delay gratification.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Cluster-randomized controlled trial allocating classes of children to intervention versus no-intervention control
PubMed 26708331 · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2015.11.009
What was done
Classes of 5- to 6-year-old children (n = 100) were randomly assigned to either the Attention Training Technique (ATT, a metacognitive therapy intervention) or an inactive no-intervention control group. Participants were tested before and after the intervention on ability to delay gratification, verbal inhibition (executive control), and mood measures.
What was found
The ATT intervention significantly increased delay of gratification 2.64 times compared to the no-intervention group. After adjusting for child age and months in school, ATT participation and verbal inhibition task performance were independent significant predictors of gratification delay. Exact baseline values, confidence intervals, and mood results were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
Delay of gratification in early childhood is predictive of later emotional and behavioral outcomes. This study indicates that gratification delay is malleable and can be improved in young children through a structured attention training protocol.
Limits
Randomization occurred at the class level rather than the individual level. The comparator was a passive no-intervention group rather than an active control, leaving open non-specific intervention effects. The abstract does not report long-term follow-up or specific numerical results for mood and executive control measures.