Experimental study with 4 groups (3 experimental and 1 control). Examine the effects of 3 body-oriented intervention programs on preschoolers' social-emotional competence. Intervention programs focused on relaxation, loose parts play and combined loose parts play and relaxation, for 12 weeks with 2 30-min sessions per week.
To examine the chronic effects of the intervention programs, instruments were collected at baseline (pretest) and at the end of the 12-week period (post-test). To measure the acute effects, salivary cortisol was measured at the beginning and end of the 1st and the 24th sessions.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
62
Sessions focused on relaxations activities (Jacques Choque Method).
Loose parts play-based sessions, with open-ended materials.
Sessions focused on loose parts play and relaxation activities.
Andreia Dias Rodrigues
Evora, Portugal
Change in Emotion discrimination
Emotion discrimination was measured through the Emotion-discrimination Task. This measurement consists in two performance tasks of increasing difficulty. In the task 1 (neutral condition) children were tested on their ability to discriminate between cars and flowers, and faces with hats versus faces with glasses. This neutral condition is not scored, since is used to check if children understood how to sort different cards. In task 2, children had a sheet in front of them with a sample drawing of one category in the top left corner (e.g. an angry face) and a drawing of the other category in the top right corner (e.g. a sad face). Then, children have six cards (with the same emotion) and one by one they have to place each card in the correct category after a demonstration. The cards that were placed correctly were counted with 1 point, with a maximum of 3 points.
Time frame: 1 and 12 weeks
Change in Emotion identification
Emotion identification was measured through the Emotion-identification Task. The task consists of eight drawings of facial emotion expressions, two for each emotion (happiness, sadness, fear, and anger). Then the researcher show two sheets with four drawings of facial emotion expressions on each sheet and ask to the children: "Who looks happy?", and children have to point to the drawing with the correct facial expression. Next, the researcher ask if "Is there anybody else who looks happy?". This procedure is repeated for anger, sadness, and fear. The number of emotions correctly identified was recorded, with a maximum score of 2 per emotion.
Time frame: 1 and 12 weeks
Change in Emotion recognition
Emotion recognition was measured thought the subscale Others' Emotion Recognition (6 items) of the Portuguese version of the Emotion Expression Questionnaire. This Subscale indicates the extent to which the child can recognise the parents' and others' emotions. Parents can rate to what degree each item is true on a 5-point scale (0=(almost) never, 1=rarely, 2=sometimes, 3=often, 4=(almost) always).
Time frame: 1 and 12 weeks
Change in Positive and negative emotion expression
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Positive emotion expression, and negative emotion expression was measured through the Negative Emotion Expression subscale (8 items) and Positive Emotion Expression subscale (6 items) from the EEQ. Parents scored on a 5-point scale (0=(almost) never, 1=rarely, 2=sometimes, 3=often, 4=(almost) always), the frequency, intensity, and duration of child's expressions of negative emotions (e.g., anger, sadness), and positive emotions (e.g., happiness, joy). The extent to which the child can calm down from the emotional episode was also measured (1=easy; 3= difficult).
Time frame: 1 and 12 weeks
Change in Self-regulation
Self-regulation was measured through the Portuguese version of Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Task (HTKS). Using no materials, the HTKS has three sections with up to four paired behavioral rules: "touch your head" and "touch your toes"; "touch your shoulders" and "touch your knees". Child first respond naturally, but then had to perform the opposite of a dominant response (e.g., touch your head when the interviewer says "touch your toes"). This task includes three phases (each with 10 trials), and for each trial, the child received a score of 0 (incorrect), 1 (self-correct), or 2 (correct).
Time frame: 1 and 12 weeks
Change in Stress regulation
Stress regulation was measured through cortisol levels (mcg/dL) was quantified in saliva samples collected at the same time and in the same place where the interventions occurred, before and after the 1st and 24th sessions. Samples were collected directly from each child's mouth, without stimulation, by passive droll during 5 minutes to a polyethylene tube.
Time frame: 2 days
Change in Social competence
Social competence was obtained through the prosocial behaviors scale (5 items), and positive items from the peer problems scale (2 items) of the Portuguese version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Rated on a 3-point scale (0 = not true, 1 = somewhat true, and 2 = certainly true) the degree to which each item represented child's behavior in the last 3 months.
Time frame: 1 and 12 weeks
Change in Externalizing problems
Externalizing problems was obtained also through the behavior problems scale (5 items), and hyperactivity scale (5 items) of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Rated on a 3-point scale (0 = not true, 1 = somewhat true, and 2 = certainly true) the degree to which each item represented child's behavior in the last 3 months.
Time frame: 1 and 12 weeks
Change in Conflicts resolution
Conflicts resolution was measured through the conflict resolution strategies subscale (6 items) of the Portuguese version of Social Strategies Rating Scale (SSRS). Administered to teachers, which rated on a 5-point scale (1=never, 3=half of the time, 5=almost always) how often the child uses the social strategies during interactions with peers on preschool context.
Time frame: 1 and 12 weeks