Actively Recruiting

Phase Not Applicable
Age: 3Years - 6Years
All Genders
ID03457402

Feasibility of Shaping Tolerance for Delayed Rewards in Impulsive 3-6 Year Olds

Led by University of California, Davis · Updated on 2026-06-04

50

Participants Needed

1

Research Sites

N/A

Total Duration

On this page

Sponsors

U

University of California, Davis

Lead Sponsor

E

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborating Sponsor

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

Problems with self-control, such as impulsivity, can lead to many challenges including substance abuse, academic difficulties, and health issues. For young children, developing self-control is vital for success in school and social life, yet few non-drug methods have proven effective. This research aims to test if a mobile app can help preschool-aged children with high impulsivity improve their self-control by gradually increasing the wait time for larger rewards through game play. The study involves a behavioral intervention called Shaping Delay Tolerance delivered via a tablet app called DelTA. Children will choose between a short immediate game or a longer game after a delay, with the app adjusting wait times to encourage longer delays for bigger rewards. Participants may take part in up to 25 training sessions lasting about 30 minutes each over a period of 3 to 6 weeks. The study includes an experimental group receiving immediate training and a wait-list control group that starts training after a 6-week wait. During the study, children will be assessed using various tools and questionnaires to measure changes in impulsivity and self-control, including tasks that test their ability to delay gratification. Parents and teachers will provide behavior ratings before and after training. Researchers will monitor progress over up to 6 weeks, focusing on changes in preference for delayed rewards. The total participation time varies depending on group assignment and training duration.

CONDITIONS

Brief Title

Shaping Tolerance for Delayed Rewards

Who Can Participate

Age: 3Years - 6Years
All Genders

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible

You may qualify if you...

  • Age 3 to 6 years
  • Hyperactivity/Impulsivity scores at or above the 90th percentile on parent or teacher rating scales
  • Able to use a tablet physically and visually based on pre-assessment
  • Children on psychotropic medication must keep the same dose during the study and show high impulsivity while medicated
Not Eligible

You will not qualify if you...

  • Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability based on parent or teacher report or testing

AI-Screening

AI-Powered Screening

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Your Study Journey

Screening

Duration - 2 to 4 weeks

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.

1 visit (in-person)

Baseline Assessment

Duration - Up to 1 week

Participants complete initial assessments and questionnaires to establish baseline measures of impulsivity and behavior before beginning the intervention.

1 visit (in-person)

Outpatient Treatment

Duration - 3 to 6 weeks

Participants engage in up to 25 approximately 30-minute training sessions using a tablet-based application that gradually increases tolerance for delayed rewards through game play.

Multiple sessions, up to 25 sessions over 3 to 6 weeks

Follow-up Assessments

Duration - Up to 1 week

Participants complete behavioral assessments and questionnaires to evaluate changes in self-control and impulsivity after the intervention.

1 visit (in-person)

Trial Site Locations

Total: 1 location

1

UC Davis MIND Institute

Sacramento, California, United States, 95817

Actively Recruiting

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Research Team

S

Samantha Blair, PhD

S

Shannon Hoffman, DPT

How is the study designed?

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Masking

SINGLE

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Model

PARALLEL

Primary Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Number of Arms

2

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Published Research Related To This Trial

Deriving childhood temperament measures from emotion-eliciting behavioral episodes: scale construction and initial validation.

Jeffrey R Gagne, Carol A Van Hulle, Nazan Aksan...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21480723