Improving Children's Self-Regulation and Executive Functions: A Pilot Intervention with Immigrant Mothers
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| Title: | Improving Children's Self-Regulation and Executive Functions: A Pilot Intervention with Immigrant Mothers |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Sog Yee Mok (ORCID |
| Source: | Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal. 2025 28(1). |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 17 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Adult Education |
| Descriptors: | Self Management, Executive Function, Child Development, Parent Role, Immigrants, Collectivism, Individualism, Cultural Differences, Mothers, Children, Preadolescents, Intervention, Parent Education, Program Effectiveness, Foreign Countries |
| Geographic Terms: | Switzerland |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11218-025-10147-0 |
| ISSN: | 1381-2890 1573-1928 |
| Abstract: | Self-regulation--comprising behavioral and emotional regulation and cognitive processes (i.e., executive functions)--is pivotal for children's social development and achievement. Parents, especially mothers, can promote children's self-regulation, however, relevant parental interventions are scarce. Moreover, showing appropriate self-regulation strategies in different contexts can be challenging for collectivistic-oriented immigrant children living in individualistic-oriented countries. This study developed and investigated a pilot intervention for collectivistic-oriented immigrant mothers and their children, aged 5-11 years, living in Switzerland, aiming to improve the children's self-regulation and executive functions. Fifteen mothers (11 Turkish, 2 Albanian, 1 Spanish-Portuguese-German, and 1 Portuguese; M[subscript Age] = 36.92, SD[subscript Age] = 3.10) and 20 children (M[subscript Age] = 7.15; SD[subscript Age] = 1.84) participated in the pilot intervention. The intervention lasted 6 weeks and consisted of 3 training sessions for mothers and 3 self-learning phases with translated learning materials (videos and exercises) for mothers and their children. In a pre- and post-test, the mothers rated their children's executive functions and behavioral self-regulation. The mothers also rated their domain-specific self-efficacy in supporting children's self-regulation based on the intervention content. In addition, we assessed the acceptability of the pilot intervention based on interviews with 7 mothers. The participants strongly adhered to the intervention and reported an overall high level of acceptance. We found a significant increase in the mothers' domain-specific self-efficacy regarding self-regulation. Furthermore, we found positive and significant pre-post changes in most children's executive functions but not in behavioral self-regulation. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1497370 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Self-regulation--comprising behavioral and emotional regulation and cognitive processes (i.e., executive functions)--is pivotal for children's social development and achievement. Parents, especially mothers, can promote children's self-regulation, however, relevant parental interventions are scarce. Moreover, showing appropriate self-regulation strategies in different contexts can be challenging for collectivistic-oriented immigrant children living in individualistic-oriented countries. This study developed and investigated a pilot intervention for collectivistic-oriented immigrant mothers and their children, aged 5-11 years, living in Switzerland, aiming to improve the children's self-regulation and executive functions. Fifteen mothers (11 Turkish, 2 Albanian, 1 Spanish-Portuguese-German, and 1 Portuguese; M[subscript Age] = 36.92, SD[subscript Age] = 3.10) and 20 children (M[subscript Age] = 7.15; SD[subscript Age] = 1.84) participated in the pilot intervention. The intervention lasted 6 weeks and consisted of 3 training sessions for mothers and 3 self-learning phases with translated learning materials (videos and exercises) for mothers and their children. In a pre- and post-test, the mothers rated their children's executive functions and behavioral self-regulation. The mothers also rated their domain-specific self-efficacy in supporting children's self-regulation based on the intervention content. In addition, we assessed the acceptability of the pilot intervention based on interviews with 7 mothers. The participants strongly adhered to the intervention and reported an overall high level of acceptance. We found a significant increase in the mothers' domain-specific self-efficacy regarding self-regulation. Furthermore, we found positive and significant pre-post changes in most children's executive functions but not in behavioral self-regulation. |
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| ISSN: | 1381-2890 1573-1928 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11218-025-10147-0 |
