Mindfulness-Based Learning and Interactive Storytelling in Multicultural Early Childhood Classrooms: Effects on Attention, Resilience, and Language
Andrianus Krobo
Golden Age Jurnal Ilmiah Tumbuh Kembang Anak Usia Dini June 30, 2026 DOI: 10.14421/jga.2026.112-06 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | Children aged 5 to 6 years from the Laboratory Kindergarten of Universitas Negeri Malang |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Learning integrated with Interactive Storytelling Media |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Storytelling Early childhood education Narrative Multiculturalism Language acquisition Observational study Intervention counseling |
| Key findings | The intervention produced statistically significant improvements across attention, emotional resilience, and language development, with mean differences from 0.63 to 0.89 and large effect sizes (0.92 to 1.20). |
Abstract
This study examined the contribution of Mindfulness-Based Learning integrated with Interactive Storytelling Media to children’s attention control, emotional resilience, and holistic language development in a multicultural early childhood classroom. Using a quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design, the study involved 60 children aged 5 to 6 years from the Laboratory Kindergarten of Universitas Negeri Malang. The experimental group received a structured intervention combining age-appropriate mindfulness activities with culturally responsive interactive storytelling, while the control group continued with conventional classroom learning. Data were collected through structured observation checklists and analyzed using independent-samples t-tests to compare post-intervention outcomes between groups. The results showed statistically significant differences across all developmental domains, with mean differences ranging from 0.63 to 0.89 and large effect sizes ranging from 0.92 to 1.20 (p < .001). Children in the experimental group demonstrated stronger gains in selective, sustained, shifting, and executive attention; emotional regulation, optimism, adaptability, and social support utilization; as well as linguistic development, cognitive-language integration, social-emotional communication, and cultural-contextual literacy. These findings suggest that mindfulness may strengthen attentional readiness and emotional regulation, while interactive storytelling provides meaningful opportunities for narrative engagement, expressive communication, and cultural understanding. The study contributes to global discussions on early childhood pedagogy by offering an integrated framework that connects self-regulation, socio-emotional learning, language development, and cultural responsiveness. Despite its promising findings, the study is limited by its short intervention period, restricted sample diversity, and reliance on observational measures, indicating the need for longitudinal and cross-cultural research with more objective assessment tools.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |