The Effectiveness of Training Based on Cognitive-Emotional Mediation on Increasing Mothers’ Interactive Literacy and Improving Preschool Children’s Metacognition

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim to design a parenting training program based on cognitive-emotional mediation and evaluating the effectiveness of this program on increasing mothers’ literacy of interaction and children’s cognitive modifiability in the field of metacognition and theory of mind. The curriculum was designed with a combination of parenting implications of mediated learning experience theory, developmental, individual differences relationship-based approach, and metacognitive approach. Twenty-five pairs of mother and child participated in the study voluntarily. The children were in the preschool age range (4–6). Mothers learned how to use mediation in daily interactions during 12 sessions of group theoretical training and one session of individual practical training. At the end of the training program, the mothers’ literacy of interaction and the children’s metacognition and theory of mind were assessed. The results of repeated measures-analysis showed that mothers’ participation in the training program increased their literacy of interaction in four dimensions of communication, emotional, cognitive, and sending fundamental love messages. In addition, the implementation of training programs for mothers led to children’s cognitive modifiability in the areas of planning, working memory, metacognition, and theory of mind.