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<p>This systematic review identifies and characterizes 101 mathematics interventions for preschool-aged children (3–6&#xa0;years) conducted across 25 countries during the past 25&#xa0;years. Key program characteristics, including instructional format and ecological validity, are described, and evidence on methodological quality and effectiveness is synthesized. Over 90% of studies reported positive outcomes, with half the studies targeting children from low-SES backgrounds. However, gains were predominantly characterized by near-transfer to trained skills.&#xa0;Transfer to broader, more general mathematical abilities or untrained skills was not frequent. In fact,&#xa0;only 7% of the studies demonstrated far-transfer effects, and these yielded small effect sizes. Furthermore, with just over a third of studies including long-term follow-up, the sustainability of intervention effects remains largely unknown, making the documented "fade-out" effect a persistent concern. The review also highlights significant methodological limitations. A substantial proportion of studies demonstrated only partial or no control for potential confounders, such as pre-existing cognitive abilities and socioeconomic disparities, and fidelity of implementation—particularly participant responsiveness—was frequently unreported. Furthermore, nearly half of the studies were conducted under conditions with low ecological validity (e.g., researcher-led, isolated one-to-one sessions). Notably, parent-focused interventions were not only relatively uncommon but also less consistently effective than school-based approaches, highlighting the challenge of home-based implementation.</p>

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A systematic review of mathematics interventions for preschoolers

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月12日

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  • David Muñez,
  • Pierina Cheung,
  • Maureen Lim,
  • Nadine Tang

摘要

This systematic review identifies and characterizes 101 mathematics interventions for preschool-aged children (3–6 years) conducted across 25 countries during the past 25 years. Key program characteristics, including instructional format and ecological validity, are described, and evidence on methodological quality and effectiveness is synthesized. Over 90% of studies reported positive outcomes, with half the studies targeting children from low-SES backgrounds. However, gains were predominantly characterized by near-transfer to trained skills. Transfer to broader, more general mathematical abilities or untrained skills was not frequent. In fact, only 7% of the studies demonstrated far-transfer effects, and these yielded small effect sizes. Furthermore, with just over a third of studies including long-term follow-up, the sustainability of intervention effects remains largely unknown, making the documented "fade-out" effect a persistent concern. The review also highlights significant methodological limitations. A substantial proportion of studies demonstrated only partial or no control for potential confounders, such as pre-existing cognitive abilities and socioeconomic disparities, and fidelity of implementation—particularly participant responsiveness—was frequently unreported. Furthermore, nearly half of the studies were conducted under conditions with low ecological validity (e.g., researcher-led, isolated one-to-one sessions). Notably, parent-focused interventions were not only relatively uncommon but also less consistently effective than school-based approaches, highlighting the challenge of home-based implementation.