A Systematic Scoping Review of Pre-School Self-Regulation Interventions from a Self-Determination Theory Perspective

Abstract

Self-regulation (SR) is considered foundational in early life, with robust evidence demonstrating a link between early self-regulation and longer-term outcomes. This has been the impetus for a growing body of intervention research into how best to support early SR development, yet approaches and effects are diverse, which complicates an understanding of the critical characteristics for effective early SR intervention. Using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a guiding framework, we present a scoping review of early SR-intervention research to identify the characteristics of pre-school interventions that show significant and strong effects on young children’s SR. Studies from peer-reviewed journal articles were included if they evaluated a SR intervention with pre-school children, were published between 2010 and 2020, written in English, and included a SR outcome measure. This yielded 19 studies, each reporting the efficacy of a different SR intervention. Results showed that content factors (what interventions do) interacted with their implementation (how, when, and by whom interventions are implemented) to discriminate the more versus less efficacious interventions. Through the lens of SDT, results further suggested that targeting competence through encouragement and feedback, and nurturing children’s autonomy distinguished more from less effective interventions. Relatedness was least able to discriminate intervention efficacy.

Using self‐determination theory in research and evaluation in primary care

“…Saugy et al 28 reviewed research in physical education with a self‐determination framework, and Szabo and Juwono 29 reviewed the efficacy of SDT‐based interventions in increasing students' physical activity, and both reviews suggest that SDT‐based interventions have the potential to increase physical activity. A review of pre‐school self‐regulation interventions from an SDT perspective found that targeting competence and nurturing children's autonomy led to more effective interventions, whereas relatedness appeared to have less impact 30 …”

“…We found 11 recent reviews of the use of SDT in health contexts, 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 which we summarize briefly below, starting with more general reviews of health behaviour change, and moving to reviews that have a more specific context, including those that have focused on particular medical conditions.…”

“…A review of pre‐school self‐regulation interventions from an SDT perspective found that targeting competence and nurturing children's autonomy led to more effective interventions, whereas relatedness appeared to have less impact. 30 …”

A deeper dive, a wider pool: Preschool benefits sustain to first grade on a broader set of outcomes

“…A second limitation of the extant research evaluating at‐scale public preschool programs is a near‐exclusive focus on academic outcomes, ignoring EF (for exceptions, see Ansari et al, 2020; Weiland & Yoshikawa, 2013). Evidence from evaluations of specialized curricula or interventions focused on improving EF in preschool contexts suggests preschool may improve children's EF skills at the end of the preschool year (e.g., Bierman et al, 2008; Day et al, 2022; Diamond et al, 2007; Howard et al, 2020; Raver et al, 2008). Given that EF skills have long been considered “cornerstones of development” because they facilitate success in other domains (Robson et al, 2020; Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000; Spiegel et al, 2021), it is important to consider whether, for how long, and to what extent there may be impacts of more typical preschool attendance on EF that continue during and beyond kindergarten.…”

How creativity is oppressed through traditional education

“…In this respect, learner self-regulatory processes are important. Self-regulation concerns the process of learners regulating motivational, affective, cognitive and social contextual learning aspects (Day et al , 2022; Pintrich, 2004; Zimmerman, 1990). Self-regulatory processes for teacher-directed learning may include the learner skills of acting meekly, accepting instruction, collecting and organizing information, understanding information as intended by the instructor and remembering the information.…”