Fostering social-emotional competence in early childhood: EmoCog Play Integration Programme.

Abstract

Background: Developing social-emotional competence and executive function is essential to children's long-term success. While their interconnection is well-established, limited evidence exists on interventions that systematically integrate both domains.

Aims: To address this, this study developed the EmoCog Play Integration (EPI) Programme, a pioneering initiative designed to systematically integrate social-emotional competence and executive function through structured, game-based activities. Moreover, given the multidimensional nature of social-emotional competence, this study aims to examine the impact of the EPI Programme on the development of SEC and its components among preschool children.

Samples: Participants were 145 preschool children in China (M = 4.80 years, SD = .91; 43% girls).

Methods: A randomized controlled design assigned children to either an intervention or control group. The intervention comprised 12 sessions over 4 weeks, each lasting 20-30 min.

Results and conclusions: The EPI Programme significantly improved overall social-emotional competence, particularly in self-awareness and relationship skills. However, effects on self-management, social awareness, and responsible decision-making were non-significant. These findings preliminarily support the EPI Programme's effectiveness and offer insights for designing localized social-emotional learning programmes in China.