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A Preliminary, Randomized-Controlled Trial of Mindfulness and Game-Based Executive Function Trainings to Promote Self-Regulation in Internationally-Adopted Children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2019

Jamie M. Lawler Open the ORCID record for Jamie M. Lawler [Opens in a new window] ,
Elisa A. Esposito ,
Colleen M. Doyle  and
Megan R. Gunnar
Jamie M. Lawler*
Affiliation:
Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USA
Elisa A. Esposito
Affiliation:
Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
Colleen M. Doyle
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Megan R. Gunnar
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Jamie Lawler, Eastern Michigan University, 341 Science Complex, Ypsilanti, MI 48197; E-mail: jlawler1@emich.edu
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Abstract

Although many children adopted internationally show remarkable recovery once placed in families, as a group they continue to exhibit persisting developmental deficits and delays in self-regulation. The current study uses a stratified, randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the effects of mindfulness-based and executive function trainings (EFTs) on internationally adopted (IA) children's self-regulation, including effortful/inhibitory control, attention, delay of gratification, and emotion-regulation. IA children ages 6–10 years were randomized into mindfulness training (MT), EFT, or no intervention (NI) groups. The MT and EFT groups attended 12 one-hour group sessions. Ninety-six children (MT, n = 33; EFT, n = 32; NI, n = 31) completed the study and were tested on computerized and non-computerized measures of self-regulation. Compared with the NI group, the MT group improved delay of gratification, and the EFT group improved inhibitory control and selective attention. There was no effect of either intervention on emotion regulation. MTs and EFTs show promise for improving self-regulation in IA children.

Keywords

adoptionattentionexecutive functionmindfulnessself-regulation
Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 31 , Issue 4 , October 2019 , pp. 1513 - 1525
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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