Can specialized physical exercise interventions improve preschoolers’ executive functions and behavior regulation? Results from a Lithuanian kindergarten study

Abstract

<p>Aim of the study: Children who move less and have more screen time are more likely to experience problems with health, behavior, and response inhibition (Shi et al., 2022). It challenges the educational process, family relationships, and the children's emotional well-being (Jusienė et al., 2020; Rakickiene et al., 2021). But can this be reversed with specialized interventions of physical activity? The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of physical exercise programs on the executive functions of 4-6-year-olds.</p> Methods: The children’s cognitive functions and behavior were assessed before and after the 10- week intervention. The preschoolers were assigned into three groups: (1) experimental (E), who performed specialized exercises daily, incorporating aerobic activity and cognitive elements; (2) active control (AC), who performed simple aerobic exercises daily; and (3) passive control (PC), who did not do additional exercises.</p> Results: 100 preschoolers participated in our study (E N = 35, AC N = 32, PC N = 34). The E and AC groups showed larger improvements on tests that measure inhibition, shifting attention, and cognitive control. The effect sizes for changes in the Head-legs test performance were medium (d = 0.503 (E), d = 0.520 (AC), and d = 0.313 (PC)), and for the changes in the level reached on the Figure School test the effect sizes were medium to high (d = 0.509 (E), d = 0.868 (AC), and d = 0.271 (PC)). Moderate decreases in scores on the SDQ’s Social and Behavioral subscales were observed in the AC group (d = 0.355 and d = 0.332), however, non-significant.</p> Conclusions: We concluded that daily physical activity improves some aspects of preschoolers’ executive functions, but no differences were observed between specialized exercises and general aerobic activity.</p>