ARS | Publication request: Gum chewing improves adolescents’ math performance in an SAT preparatory course

Submitted to: Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 6, 2010
Publication Date: April 6, 2010
Citation: Johnston, C., Palcic, J., Tyler, C., Foreyt, J. 2010. Gum chewing improves adolescents’ math performance in an SAT preparatory course [Abstract]. Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 24:lb328.

Technical Abstract: The purpose of the current study was to determine the effect of gum chewing on students’ performance in a preparatory course for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). A total of 182 adolescents enrolled in an SAT preparatory class were randomized into one of two treatments: 1) gum chewing condition (GCC) that provided sugar-free gum to chew during the SAT prep class, SAT prep homework, and testing situations or 2) a control condition with no gum (NGC). Students were administered a practice test at baseline during which all participants did not chew gum and again at two months. Students randomized to the GCC chewed gum during the 2 month practice test, while students in the NGC did not chew gum. A total of 116 students completed both practice tests. All students showed improved scores at 2 months in math, reading, writing, and total score (F = 21.5, p < .001; F= 20.7 p < .001; F= 63.6 p < .001; F= 51.9, p < .001). Differences in improvement between the NGC and the GCC were examined. Students in the GCC demonstrated a greater improvement in their math scores compared the NGC (F = 6.52, p < .0125). However, there were no differences in improvement between the GCC and NGC for the reading, writing, and total scores. These results suggest that chewing gum may be a cost-effective and easily implemented method to improve math scores in testing situations similar to the SAT.