Effects of an executive function programme (PEFEN) on preschool childrena pilot study

  1. María Nieves Pérez-Marfil 1
  2. Manuel Fernández-Alcántara 2
  3. Raúl López-Benítez 3
  4. Miguel Pérez-García 1
  5. María Purificación Pérez-García 1
  6. Francisco Cruz-Quintana 1
  1. 1 Universidad de Granada
    info

    Universidad de Granada

    Granada, España

    ROR https://ror.org/04njjy449

  2. 2 Universitat d'Alacant
    info

    Universitat d'Alacant

    Alicante, España

    ROR https://ror.org/05t8bcz72

  3. 3 Universidad de Valladolid
    info

    Universidad de Valladolid

    Valladolid, España

    ROR https://ror.org/01fvbaw18

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Journal:
Journal for the Study of Education and Development, Infancia y Aprendizaje

ISSN: 0210-3702,  1578-4126

Year of publication: 2024

Volume: 47

Issue: 1

Pages: 113-137

Type: Article

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More publications in: Journal for the Study of Education and Development, Infancia y Aprendizaje

Abstract

The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of a programme for the stimulation of executive functions (Programa para la Estimulación de las Funciones Ejecutivas — PEFEN) in preschool children (aged five years) with no pathologies. A total of 40 children participated. They were distributed into two groups (intervention and control groups) and were evaluated at two different moments in time (before and after the intervention) using the Child Neuropsychological Maturity Questionnaire (CUMANIN) and the Behavior Rating Instrument of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P). The programme’s duration was three months. The results revealed statistically significant differences between both groups in the subscales of psychomotricity, spatial structuring and visual perception of the CUMANIN as well as in the emotional control subscale of BRIEF-P. In conclusion, the intervention group presented higher scores in different neuropsychological domains related to executive functions. This research seems to suggest that programmes such as PEFEN may be useful to improve and stimulate the EFs of normal developing children who do not present any difficulties.

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Data source: Dialnet