Zirkus Empathico reduced parent-rated behavioral problems in preschoolers¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q4 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q4 i2 SDQ parent ratings showed greater declines in problem behavior for the Zirkus Empathico group compared to controls (d = 0.54). → Naumann 2023

Evidence¶

Naumann 2023¶

Naumann, S., Bayer, M., Kirst, S., van der Meer, E. & Dziobek, I. (2023). A randomized controlled trial on the digital socio-emotional competence training Zirkus Empathico for preschoolers. npj Science of Learning. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-023-00169-8

q4 · i2 · causal · r2

ITT ANCOVA on SDQ parent-rated problem behavior change scores from the pre-registered RCT (N = 74), covarying pre-training scores. The training group showed "greater declines in problem behavior" than controls (d = 0.54, p = 0.01; PP d = 0.62, p = 0.01).

"greater declines in problem behavior for the Zirkus Empathico group compared to controls (SDQ BP P ITT: d = 0.54 [0.08, 1.03], p = 0.01"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Zirkus Empathico increased parent-rated prosocial behavior but not child-assessed prosocial behavior — related
• Six-week Zirkus Empathico training increased parent-rated empathy (EMK 3-6) but not GEM-rated or child-assessed empathy in preschoolers — related
• Zirkus Empathico improved child-assessed emotion recognition but not parent-rated emotion recognition in preschoolers — related
• Exploratory 3-month follow-up suggested a sleeper effect on parent-rated empathy, but no maintained gains in other outcomes — related
• Training group showed larger P3 amplitudes to happy versus neutral and angry faces post-training; early ERP components were unaffected — related
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