In a systematic review of the literature, this report examined the degree to which existing empirical evidence supports the theory that participation in chess programs, whether designed as in-school or after-school programs, resulted in improved academic, cognitive, and/or behavioral outcomes for school-aged children. Twenty-four studies met a set of pre-determined...

Published in 2012, this study evaluated the impact of a weekly after-school chess intervention on students’ cognitive development and behavioral skills in Spain. 170 treatment group students self-selected to participate in the chess program, and 60 randomly selected control group students had the option to play either basketball or soccer...

Conducted during the 2008-09 school year and published in 2011, this study evaluated the impact of a weekly, 50 minute per session chess intervention on grade 6-8 special education students’ end-of-course grades and performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). The sample was comprised of 15 treatment...

This 1976 master’s thesis evaluated the effects of a two year after-school chess intervention, with 42 lessons in total, on grade 5-6 Belgian students’ math and reading achievement. The randomly assigned sample was comprised of 20 treatment group students and 17 control group students. All students were male and attended...

In this 2009 report, DuCette examined the impact of an after-school chess program on Pennsylvania students’ math and reading achievement, as measured by the state standardized assessment, Pennsylvania System of School Achievement (PSSA). The sample was comprised of 151 treatment and 151 control students in grades 3-8. Treatment students, who...

In this dissertation, Eberhard analyzed the impact of a daily, in-school chess intervention on student cognitive performance on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT). Conducted in a rural middle school in southern Texas during the 2001-02 school year, the study’s sample was comprised of...

In this report, Ferguson evaluated the impact of a weekly chess club intervention, lasting 32 weeks, on grade 7-9 gifted and talented students’ cognitive development, measured by the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. The sample included 15 treatment students and 79 control students...

In this 2005 report, the authors evaluated the impact of a one year, after-school chess intervention on 3rd grade Scottish students’ reading achievement (Neale Analysis of Reading Ability), cognitive development (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children), and behavior (Bristol Social Adjustment Guide). There were 36 students in the sample—18 in the...

Published in 2007, this study evaluated the effects of a one year, in-school chess program on cognitive development. Taking place in Seoul, South Korea, 18 students were randomly assigned to a treatment group and 20 students to the control group. Chess students received 12 weekly lessons for one academic year....

Published in 2012, this study evaluated the impact of an in-school chess intervention on Iranian students’ math achievement and cognitive development in grades 5, 8, and 9. The randomly assigned sample was comprised of 86 treatment group students and 94 control group students. Students were tested on an author-created math...