Effects of Stability Balls on Children's On-Task Behavior, Academic Achievement, and Discipline Referrals: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Fedewa, Alicia and Davis, Matthew A. C. and Ahn, Soyeon (2015). The American Journal of Occupational Therapy: Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
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examining67Students, grade2
Single Study Review
Review Details
Reviewed: June 2024
- Single Study Review (findings for Stability balls)
- Promoting Social and Behavioral Success for Learning in Elementary Schools Review Protocol 2.0
- Review Standards 4.0
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a cluster randomized controlled trial with low cluster-level attrition and individual-level non-response.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Northwest Evaluation Association, Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) - Literacy |
Stability balls vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
N/A |
N/A |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP): Mathematics |
Stability balls vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
N/A |
N/A |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Momentary Time Sampling of On-task Behavior (MTS) - Group Work with Peers |
Stability balls vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
This sample is a random sample of 4 students from each of 4 classrooms (part of the larger cluster RCT) that were randomized to treatment and control;
|
77.00 |
87.00 |
Yes |
-- | |
|
Momentary Time Sampling of On-task Behavior (MTS) - Independent Work Context |
Stability balls vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
This sample is a random sample of 4 students from each of 4 classrooms (part of the larger cluster RCT) that were randomized to treatment and control;
|
29.00 |
39.00 |
Yes |
-- | |
|
Momentary Time Sampling of On-task Behavior (MTS) - Interactions with a Teacher |
Stability balls vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
This sample is a random sample of 4 students from each of 4 classrooms (part of the larger cluster RCT) that were randomized to treatment and control;
|
35.00 |
33.00 |
Yes |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 48%
Male: 52% -
Rural
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South
Study Details
Setting
This study was conducted in 4 second-grade classrooms in a rural elementary school in the southeastern US.
Study sample
The sample was 48% female. No other sample demographics were reported.
Intervention Group
Students in the intervention condition were given stability balls to sit on. Students retained the balls throughout the school year.
Comparison Group
For students in the comparison classes, it was business as usual with students sitting in chairs.
Support for implementation
None.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
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Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).