Promoting prosocial behavior and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 25383689 · doi:10.1037/a0038256
What was done
Researchers evaluated a 12-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum (KC) delivered in a public school setting to 68 preschool children using a randomized controlled design. The study assessed changes in executive function, self-regulation, prosocial behavior, and report card grades.
What was found
The abstract reports direction and qualitative effect sizes without exact numerical values or confidence intervals. The intervention group demonstrated greater improvements in social competence and earned higher report card grades in learning, health, and social-emotional development, whereas the control group showed increases in selfish behavior over time. Effect sizes favored the intervention group with small-to-medium effects on cognitive flexibility and delay of gratification. Baseline status moderated outcomes, with children initially lower in social competence and executive function exhibiting larger gains in social competence relative to controls.
Why it matters
This study provides randomized evidence that early mindfulness and kindness training can enhance self-regulation and prosocial behaviors during critical preschool developmental windows.
Limits
The sample size was small (n = 68) and evaluated over a relatively short 12-week intervention period. Specific numerical values, p-values, and long-term follow-up were not reported in the abstract, and implementation across more diverse settings was not tested.