The efficacy of mathematics interventions for students with mathematics difficulties is a critical concern in educational research, particularly in light of the increasing demand for effective instructional strategies. While previous meta-analyses have explored various aspects of mathematics interventions, this study uniquely focuses on a broad range of intervention characteristics and their impacts on students’ mathematics proficiency. This meta-analysis reviewed 223 reports comprising 286 studies, encompassing data from approximately 56,477 participants. The authors analyzed several intervention characteristics as potential moderators, including (1) grade level, (2) group size, (3) content area, and (4) dosage and examined study level characteristics, including (1) research design, (2) fidelity, (3) year of study, (4) type of measure, and (5) study quality.
The findings revealed significant variability in intervention effectiveness based on targeted content areas:
- Problem-solving interventions and interventions involving operations were found to be less effective than those focusing on fractions. The authors suggested the complex nature of fractions and the specialized knowledge of research teams dedicated to this specific area as potential explanations.
- No clear pattern was found for duration. Longer interventions (more than 22 hours) seemed to have a larger impact, but further research is needed.
- Grade level (K–2 vs. 3–5, vs. 6–12) was not found to influence the impact of the interventions.
- Similar effects were observed in interventions delivered either in small groups or individually, which supports findings from previous reviews.
The study also underscored the challenges in educational research, marked by heterogeneity in type of measure and study designs.
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