The Effect of a Short-Term Mindfulness Program on Motor Skills and on Psychological and Social Behavior in Preschool Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Mindfulness-based interventions have shown promise in improving various developmental outcomes in children, including resilience, social behavior, and motor skills. However, the effectiveness of such interventions in preschool-aged children remains underexplored.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effect of a one-week mindfulness-based intervention on resilience, social behavior, and motor skills in four to five-year-old children.

Research Design: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a mindfulness group (MG), a physical activity group (PAG), and a control group (CG).

Study Sample: The study sample consisted of 45 children (22 females; 23 males; M age = 4.5, SD = 0.4 years) from the same preschool.

Data Collection and/or Analysis: Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: (a) a mindfulness group (MG; n = 15) that participated in five 30-min mindfulness sessions; (b) a physical activity group (PAG; n = 15) that engaged in five 45-min physical exercise sessions; and (c) a control group (CG; n = 15) that received no intervention. Training sessions were held on five consecutive days. Assessments were conducted before (T0) and after (T1) the intervention using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (to assess motor skills), the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (to evaluate behavior), and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure-28 (to measure resilience).

Results: At baseline (T0), there were no significant differences between the groups. After the intervention (T1), the mindfulness group experienced the strongest positive effects, with significant improvements in motor skills and social behavior, although there was no significant effect on resilience.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that a brief mindfulness training intervention is a promising strategy for improving motor skills and social behavior in early childhood settings, though it did not significantly affect resilience.