Board Games at Kindergarten (5 Years Old) to Improve Cognitive and Emotional Processes
Board Games at Kindergarten (5 Years Old) to Improve Cognitive and Emotional Processes
Cognitive (i.e. executive functions, memory) and socio-emotional (i.e. affection recognition) processes emerges at first years. These processes have been frequently related to adequate academic performance in the scientific literature (Passolunghi et al, 2015). Current research aimed at training cognitive processes found promising results using board game as a cognitive tool in children (Passolunghi & Costa, 2016). Considering the growing interest of teachers in this playful and possibly educational, cognitive and socio-emotional resource, a game program for these purposes has been designed to be used in kindergarten classrooms.
The main aim of the present study is to test the efficacy of a cognitive and emotional training program in the classroom based on board games in kindergarten students (5 years old). For this, there will be an experimental group that will carry out the cognitive and emotional game program in the classroom implemented by the teachers of the participating centers, and a control group that will be on board games that do not directly activate cognitive and emotional processes. At the end of the interventions, the groups will be compensated by carrying out inversely both board game programs. The classes will be randomly assigned to an experimental group and a passive control group.
The hypothesis from this study are: i) the experimental group will show a significantly greater improvement in the neuropsychological tasks that measure cognitive and emotional processes compared to the active control group after the intervention; ii) the experimental group will show a significantly greater improvement in the tests evaluated by their parents after the intervention compared to the active control group. All hypotheses will be controlled for age and socioeconomic status.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
• Sensory/comprehension difficulties that make it impossible to carry out the program activities.