Promoting prosocial behavior and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based kindness curriculum.
Lisa Flook, Simon B. Goldberg, Laura Pinger, Richard J. Davidson
Developmental Psychology November 10, 2014 DOI: 10.1037/a0038256 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA 12-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum delivered in a public school setting improved social competence and report card grades in learning, health, and social-emotional development among 68 preschool children, while the control group showed more selfish behavior over time. Small to medium effects favoring the intervention group were found on measures of cognitive flexibility and delay of gratification. Children initially lower in social competence and executive functioning showed larger gains in social competence. The findings support the program's promise for promoting self-regulation and prosocial behavior in young children.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 68 |
| Population | Preschool children |
| Intervention | Kindness Curriculum |
| Duration | 12-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Prosocial behavior Developmental psychology Social competence Multiple baseline design |
| Citations | 561 |
| Key finding | A 12-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum improved social competence and report card grades while reducing selfish behavior in preschool children compared to a control group. |
Abstract
Self-regulatory abilities are robust predictors of important outcomes across the life span, yet they are rarely taught explicitly in school. Using a randomized controlled design, the present study investigated the effects of a 12-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum (KC) delivered in a public school setting on executive function, self-regulation, and prosocial behavior in a sample of 68 preschool children. The KC intervention group showed greater improvements in social competence and earned higher report card grades in domains of learning, health, and social-emotional development, whereas the control group exhibited more selfish behavior over time. Interpretation of effect sizes overall indicate small to medium effects favoring the KC group on measures of cognitive flexibility and delay of gratification. Baseline functioning was found to moderate treatment effects with KC children initially lower in social competence and executive functioning demonstrating larger gains in social competence relative to the control group. These findings, observed over a relatively short intervention period, support the promise of this program for promoting self-regulation and prosocial behavior in young children. They also support the need for future investigation of program implementation across diverse settings.