Flook et al.
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.
Self-regulatory skills are increasingly recognized as important contributors to school success.
The capacity to regulate attention and emotion are forms of self-regulation that
provide a foundation for school readiness by supporting dispositions conducive to
learning and maintaining positive social relationships.
Self-regulation in childhood predicts health, financial stability, and educational
attainment into adulthood.
Particular interest in early childhood, given the malleability and plasticity associated with this
period of development.
Investment in early education, therefore, has the potential to increase health and
reduce risk behaviors over the life span, thus reducing overall societal costs.
The development of prefrontal cortical (PFC) regions are linked to attention and EFs,
abilities which are present in a rudimentary form at the beginning of life and undergo
rapid development, congruent with brain growth during the childhood years.
Healthy functioning across academic and social contexts requires exercising self-regulatory
ability in the pursuit of short- and long-term goals.
Self-regulation involves modulating feelings, thoughts, and behavior, and is
associated with academic achievement and social competence, both concurrently
and prospectively.
Self-regulatory ability at age 4 (indexed by waiting a longer time for a reward) predicts
attentional capacity, self-control, and frustration tolerance years later during
adolescence.
Attention and executive functioning play a key role in effective self-regulation.
Executive functions (EFs) refer to an array of related, yet distinct cognitive processes,
such as cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory, which impact all
44 areas of functioning
o EFs are a fundamental component of school success and predict academic
performance above and beyond general levels of intelligence.
o Therefore, early childhood is an opportune period of development for training
such skills.
However, self-regulatory skills are not often explicitly taught in school. Rather, instruction
tends to emphasize academic knowledge and performance on standardized tests
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.
Self-regulatory skills are increasingly recognized as important contributors to school success.
The capacity to regulate attention and emotion are forms of self-regulation that
provide a foundation for school readiness by supporting dispositions conducive to
learning and maintaining positive social relationships.
Self-regulation in childhood predicts health, financial stability, and educational
attainment into adulthood.
Particular interest in early childhood, given the malleability and plasticity associated with this
period of development.
Investment in early education, therefore, has the potential to increase health and
reduce risk behaviors over the life span, thus reducing overall societal costs.
The development of prefrontal cortical (PFC) regions are linked to attention and EFs,
abilities which are present in a rudimentary form at the beginning of life and undergo
rapid development, congruent with brain growth during the childhood years.
Healthy functioning across academic and social contexts requires exercising self-regulatory
ability in the pursuit of short- and long-term goals.
Self-regulation involves modulating feelings, thoughts, and behavior, and is
associated with academic achievement and social competence, both concurrently
and prospectively.
Self-regulatory ability at age 4 (indexed by waiting a longer time for a reward) predicts
attentional capacity, self-control, and frustration tolerance years later during
adolescence.
Attention and executive functioning play a key role in effective self-regulation.
Executive functions (EFs) refer to an array of related, yet distinct cognitive processes,
such as cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory, which impact all
44 areas of functioning
o EFs are a fundamental component of school success and predict academic
performance above and beyond general levels of intelligence.
o Therefore, early childhood is an opportune period of development for training
such skills.
However, self-regulatory skills are not often explicitly taught in school. Rather, instruction
tends to emphasize academic knowledge and performance on standardized tests
