Effectiveness of Play-Based Training on Executive Functioning in Pre-School Children

NCT04752605 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 180

Last updated 2022-04-06

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a play-based intervention designed to support the development of executive functioning in 3-5-year-old children. The intervention is implemented in the day care setting as a part of early childhood education in collaboration with parents and local healthcare and social welfare workers. The study hypothesizes that the intervention as an add-on to normal early childhood education brings added benefits to the development of children's executive functioning in comparison to early childhood education without the add-on.

Conditions

  • Executive Function
  • Problem Behavior

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Finnish ENGAGE together

Early childhood education workers play games with children during day care. The games (e.g. ball games, puzzles, Simon says) target children's executive functions and self-regulatory skills, e.g. inhibition, attention, and emotion regulation. The first phase of the intervention (6 weeks) includes play sessions (15 minutes each day) for all children as well as a parents' evening to encourage playing at home. In the second phase (8 weeks), more individualized small group play sessions (3 times a week, 30 minutes at once) are arranged for the children that show difficulties in self-regulation after the first phase. Also, a parents' group including 6 group sessions and 2 phone calls is arranged for their parents in this phase. The participating parents are asked to play the games for 20 minutes each day with their children. During the group meetings, the parents share their experiences of playing at home and receive support and guidance from 2 health care professionals.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Niilo Mäki Institute

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
3 Years
Max Age
5 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-01-01
Primary Completion
2021-12-31
Completion
2021-12-31

Countries

  • Finland

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04752605 on ClinicalTrials.gov