The impact of begin to ECSEL on children’s self-regulation, executive functions and learning

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research has shown that the first few years of a child’s life are critical for developing executive functioning and emotional regulatory skills. This study aimed to evaluate how begin to ECSEL (Emotional, Cognitive and Social Early Learning), an intervention designed to promote young children’s emotional competence, influenced children’s self-regulation and executive functions. The study collected data from 94 children, aged 2–6 years old, through behavioral testing and compared them to a matched group of children who had not been exposed to the begin to ECSEL programme. Children’s self-regulation and executive functioning skills were assessed using four specific tasks from the Preschool Self-Regulation Assessment: balance beam, pencil tap, snack delay and toy wrap. Results demonstrated that children who were enrolled in the begin to ECSEL programme performed significantly better than the comparison group, suggesting significantly better self-regulation and executive function skills as a result of the begin to ECSEL intervention.