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 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| 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 Clinical psychology Intervention counseling Social change |
| Citations | 561 |
| Key findings | 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.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 74
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Conceptual and methodological issues in research on mindfulness and meditation. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Research Review: The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents – a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry October 22, 2018
- The effect of mindfulness-based interventions on inattentive and hyperactive–impulsive behavior in childhood: A meta-analysis International Journal of Behavioral Development October 9, 2020
- The Mindfulness-Based Kindness Curriculum for Preschoolers: An Applied Multi-Site Randomized Control Trial Mindfulness September 1, 2023
and 69 more in the library
Cites 7
- Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise PLoS One March 25, 2008
- Intensive meditation training improves perceptual discrimination and sustained attention. Psychological Science June 1, 2010
- Mindfulness Training for Elementary School Students Journal of Applied School Psychology July 6, 2005
- Contemplative Practices and Mental Training: Prospects for American Education Child Development Perspectives April 23, 2012
- Sitting-meditation interventions among youth: a review of treatment efficacy. Pediatrics August 24, 2009
and 2 more in the library