Emotional Regulation in School and Family: Assessment and Intervention

NCT06884020 | Active Not Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: CEIPSA-2023-TD-0081DI00036
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This project aims to investigate children's difficulties with emotional regulation in the school environment, to develop an early intervention programme for preschool children (5 years old) and their families, and to explore the relationship between emotional regulation and various risk and protective factors, including variables such as gender, age, socio-economic context, parenting styles, social skills and academic performance. Data analysis will facilitate the adaptation of the intervention to the needs of the school population. Methodologically, the project will adopt a quasi-experimental design with control and experimental groups, using a convenience sample drawn from two schools in Tarragona. This design will make it possible to compare the effectiveness of the programme in improving children's emotional skills.

Conditions

Emotional Regulation

Keywords

emotional regulation; emotional education program; pre-school age; School environment; childhood; school-age

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Emotional Self-Control (BASC-3 Scores)

  Assessment of emotional self-control using the BASC-3, completed by parents/guardians and school staff. Higher scores indicate lower emotional self-control and greater difficulty in managing emotions effectively. BASC-3 scores range from 0 to 120, where higher scores reflect greater difficulties in emotional self-control.

  Baseline (Week 5), post-intervention (Week 15 and Week 45).

• Emotional Regulation (BRIEF-P Scores)

  Assessment of emotional regulation using the BRIEF-P, completed by parents/guardians and school staff. Higher scores indicate greater emotional dysregulation, reflecting difficulties in managing and modulating emotional responses effectively. BRIEF-P scores range from 30 to 90, where higher scores reflect greater emotional dysregulation.

  Baseline (Week 5), post-intervention (Week 15 and Week 45).

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Behavioral and Emotional Problems (BASC-3 Scores)

  Baseline (Week 5 of the school year) Post-intervention (Week 15 and Week 45 of the school year) Follow-up (Up to 1 year after study completion)

Study Arms (2)

Intervention group

EXPERIMENTAL

Group 1: Pre-assessment: Assessment of emotional regulation, psychological problems and executive functioning through behavioural tests completed by parents and teachers. Intervention: Participants receive a weekly emotional education program (8 sessions of 45 minutes each, plus an additional 1-hour session with the family in the middle of the program). Intervention facilitator: A doctoral student (psychologist and teacher) conducts the sessions. Participants: The program is offered to the entire group of 5-year-old preschool children (I5), regardless of their pre-assessment results, with the informed consent of parents or guardians. Location: The intervention will be delivered in the early childhood education classroom. Post-intervention evaluation: Conducted both in the short term (immediately after the end of the program) and in the medium to long term (4-5 months after the end of the program).

Behavioral: EMOTIONAL REGULATION PROGRAMME

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

Group 2: Pre-assessment: Similar to group 1, assessment of emotional regulation, psychological problems and executive functioning through behavioural tests completed by parents and teachers. Intervention: This group will not receive the emotional education program during the initial phase of the study. Participants: The entire group of 5-year-old preschool children (I5), with the informed consent of parents or guardians. Post-assessment: Short-term evaluation: Conducted at the same time as Group 1, immediately after the end of the intervention program for the experimental group. Medium to long-term evaluation: Conducted at the same time as Group 1, 4-5 months after the end of the intervention programme for the experimental group. The control group will not receive the intervention until after this evaluation. Intervention facilitator: A doctoral student (psychologist and trained teacher). Location: The intervention will be delivered in the early childhood education classroom

Interventions

EMOTIONAL REGULATION PROGRAMME BEHAVIORAL

This programme works on early identification and implementation of strategies to improve self-awareness and facilitate children's emotions. This intervention is designed to be delivered in the educational setting by the tutor in the form of a learning situation with 8 sessions plus 1 family session. The topics covered are: * Embarking on an emotional journey * Recognising our emotions * Emotions have a voice * Identifying different emotions * How do I make decisions? * Emotion, action, and consequence * Learning to self-regulate * Celebrating our learning

Intervention group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 4 Years - 6 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

Student of Early Childhood Education

Contact the study team to discuss eligibility requirements. They can help determine if this study is right for you.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Rovira i Virgili: lead

Study Sites (1)

Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Tarragona, Tarragona, 43007, Spain

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Emotional Regulation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Self-Control; Social Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Josefa Dra. Canals, Full Professor

  University Rovira i Virgili

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Educational psychologist - Teacher

Model Details: There are two groups in this project. One group will receive the emotional education intervention first, and when this group and the control group (who did not receive the intervention) complete the post-intervention assessment, the control group will also receive the intervention.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2025
• First Posted: March 19, 2025
• Study Start: January 12, 2024
• Primary Completion: April 23, 2024
• Study Completion: June 30, 2025
• Last Updated: March 19, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Locations

ES (1)