Browsing by Author "Miettinen, Keni"

Objctives. The aim of this study was to investigate if Pieni Oppiva Mieli-intervention affect 2−7 years old children’s executive function. There are only few previous studies about the subject and results are contradictory. For example according to Mak, Whittingham, Cunnington and Boyd review-study there is no sufficient evidence to suggest that mindfulness interventions affect children executive function. For that reason there is a need for new studies about the subject. Executive function is important predictor of success in many facets of life so it seems reasonable to develop mean that can support these skills. Mindfulness intervention have been successfully used to promote executive function in adults so mindfulness interventions are one potential mean of promoting these skills in children as well. Methods. This study involved children aged 2−7 (N=346) from Helsinki metropolitan area. The study had experimental group (N=256) experienced MinUp™-intervention and was observed in 2017. Passive waitlist control group (N=90) was observed in 2016. The Attention and Executive Function Rating Inventory (Attex) was used to estimate the level of executive function and the material was analysed with repeated measures variance analysis (SPSS 24) Results and conclusion. Experimental group did not develop statistically significantly better when compared to control group. Observed skills changed statistically significantly when compared to time variable. Observed change is not evidence in of interventions effectiveness because the control group was passive. Any intervention is not applied to passive control group so the observed change is probably doe to normal development of these children. This would seem to suggest that intervention did not have an impact on children´s executive function.