Intervention in cold executive functions and emotion regulation: impact of the application of two programs on executive-emotional processing in schoolchildren

Abstract

Executive functions (EF) and emotion regulation (ER) are associated with the basis of children's cognitive and socio-emotional development. In view of the current of neuropsychological interventions in EF, the present study sought to investigate whether an EF intervention (PENcE program) would be equivalent, superior or inferior in relation to the EF intervention in conjunction with ER strategies (PENcE and REPENcE programs) in performance executive, emotional and school performance of elementary school students who underwent performance programs exclusively focused on EF (PENcE) versus a mixed EF and ER program (PENcE+REPENcE) versus controls. One hundred and eleven children participated, divided into three groups: group 1 received a mixed intervention with the PENcE and REPENcE programs, group 2 performed only the PENcE, and group 3 was the control group (school curriculum). The group submitted to the mixed intervention showed superior performance in a greater number of domains, such as initiation, processing speed, body awareness, and communication of emotions, in the post-intervention evaluation. Thus, it is clear that a program focused on ER skills can enhance and increase the outcomes of a cognitive stimulation program exclusively for EF.