Jansen, Petra and Siebertz, Markus and Portele, Christiane (2025) A Kind Mind: Enhancing Socio-Emotional Skills in German Preschool Children Through the Mindfulness-Based Kindness Curriculum. JOURNAL OF GENETIC PSYCHOLOGY, 186 (4). pp. 271-287. ISSN 0022-1325, 1940-0896
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
Objectives: It has been shown that mindfulness-based practices are beneficial for children's cognitive and social-emotional development. In the present study, we investigated the effects of an eight-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum (KC), a specially developed program for 3-6 years old preschoolers, on Executive Functions (EFs) and socio-emotional competencies. From three German kindergartens, 69 preschoolers participated. Thirty-eight children (M age = 5.30, SD = 0.80) were included in the mindfulness training group, and 31 (M age = 5.30, SD = 0.70) were in the wait-list control group. Due to the field character of the study, children were randomly assigned by kindergarten or by forming new groups of existing classes in one kindergarten. Before and after the mindfulness intervention, EFs were measured using Go/No-Go and Flanker tasks. Socio-emotional competencies were examined with an inventory for assessing socio-emotional competencies in three- to six-year-olds. The results showed a significant improvement in some aspects of emotional and social functions for the mindfulness group over the control group when the pretest results were integrated into the analysis. However, the mindfulness group showed no better performance concerning EFs (inhibition) than the control group. This study indicates improvement in some aspects of socio-emotional competencies in preschoolers through a mindfulness program. Further studies with more participants may evaluate if different forms of mindfulness training in preschool settings could enhance different aspects of preschoolers' development.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS; PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR; EMOTION REGULATION; SELF-REGULATION; EMPATHY; INTERVENTIONS; PROGRAM; Mindfulness; executive functioning; preschool; social and emotional development; education |
| Subjects: | 700 Arts & recreation > 796 Athletic & outdoor sports & games |
| Divisions: | Human Sciences > Institut für Sportwissenschaft |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 03 Mar 2026 09:35 |
| Last Modified: | 03 Mar 2026 09:35 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/63554 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
