The design and evaluation of a curriculum based intervention program aiming at promoting preschoolers' executive functioning and emotion regulation skills

Abstract

Executive Function (EF) is a highly complex, interrelated set of the cognitive process composed of multiple components: attention (sustain and selective), cognitive flexibility, working memory, inhibitory control (simple and complex) and problem-solving skill. These skills play a crucial role in the development where deficit in EF could lead to academic failure and a lifelong dissatisfaction. Research has found integral relationship between EF and emotion regulation(ER) suggesting children with weak EF skills are likely exhibit weak ER abilities. The current study is aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a curriculum-based intervention program designed to promote EF skills and through that, increase children’s ER abilities. Program design includes group and individual activities placed in play corners within classroom setting. Seventy-eight preschoolers from 3 Hong Kong nursery schools were divided into control and program group. A multi-informant pre- and post- program evaluation including teacher questionnaires and a battery of EF and ER tasks completed by participants was used. The program group completed a 20-weeks program delivered by trained classroom teacher. Program benefits are found in promoting working memory, inhibitory control, “Hot” EF problem-solving and cognitive flexibility skills. Improvements in ER abilities and decreased of overall emotion, and behavioral post-program is also found. The gains in ER are observed to be correlates with gain in problem-solving and inhibitory control of EF components.