Most preschool SR/EF interventions report at least one significant outcome, but only about half of evaluated effects are significant¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Across 85 studies, 70.6% reported statistically significant results for at least one outcome, and 49.0% of 208 evaluated effects were statistically significant immediately after intervention. → Rosalyn A. Muir · Steven J. Howard · Lisa Kervin 2023

Evidence¶

Rosalyn A. Muir · Steven J. Howard · Lisa Kervin 2023¶

Rosalyn A. Muir · Steven J. Howard · Lisa Kervin. (2023). Interventions and Approaches Targeting Early Self-Regulation or Executive Functioning in Preschools: A Systematic Review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09740-6

q3 · i? · quant-synthesis · r2

Systematic review of 85 studies (12,595 children aged 3–6) following PRISMA methodology. The review reports "60 (70.6%) of the studies" achieved significance for at least one outcome, and across 208 evaluated effects, 102 (49.0%) were significant immediately post-intervention. Effect sizes ranged from small to large; only four studies included follow-up assessments.

"Statistically significant results (for at least one outcome) were reported in 60 (70.6%) of the studies; 43 (72.8%) EF interventions, 11 (64.7%) SR interventions and 6 (66.7%) of the combined SR/EF interventions."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Cognitive challenge, incrementally increased as children gain competence, was a feature of all the most efficacious interventions — related
• Mindfulness interventions show comparatively robust efficacy for preschool SR/EF, especially for outcomes requiring integrated mobilisation of EFs and SR — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Cognitively engaging physical activity shows amongst the strongest support of the profiled approaches for preschool SR/EF — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Music interventions show moderately strong evidence for EF change including inhibitory control, possibly stronger with greater intensity and longevity — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Universal self-regulation interventions improve self-regulation in children and adolescents, with a pooled effect size of d = 0.42 (95% CI, 0.32-0.53) on task performance scores. — related
• SEL programs with explicit skill teaching and regular practice can promote preschool EF, possibly including inhibitory control — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Mediated structured play yields relatively robust evidence of efficacy, varying by interventionist, target and measured outcome — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Self-regulation interventions showed positive associations with distal outcomes: academic achievement in 11 of 13 studies (85%), substance abuse in 4 of 5 (80%), and conduct disorders, social skills, depression, behavioral problems, and school suspensions in all reporting studies. — related
• Digitalised task training shows highly inconsistent evidence, appearing particularly suited to improving working memory — a narrower finding that bears on this claim