Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Date of Graduation
8-2026
Semester of Graduation
Summer
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
First Advisor
Elena Savina
Second Advisor
Deborah Kipps-Vaughan
Third Advisor
Trevor F. Stokes
Abstract
Self-regulation is foundational for school readiness and future academic success. Self-regulation develops rapidly in early childhood and parallels motor skill development. Mounting research evidence indicates the importance of movement for developing self-regulation in young children. The purpose of this study was to develop a movement-based self-regulation curriculum for early childhood education classrooms. There were four phases in this study. During the first phase, curriculum activities were designed to target the discreet neurocognitive processes underlying self-regulation. The second phase featured consultations with teachers to gain their feedback on the curriculum. In the third phase, curriculum activities were self-piloted in early childhood classrooms. During the fourth phase, three early childhood teachers utilized the curriculum in their classrooms for two weeks and participated in individual interviews following implementation. The use of reflexive thematic analysis revealed that the curriculum is easy to implement with minimal preparation, with opportunities for additional streamlining; it is flexible, with opportunities for further differentiation; it is developmentally appropriate; and it is playful and enjoyable for children.
Included in
Child Psychology Commons, Cognitive Neuroscience Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Development Studies Commons, Early Childhood Education Commons, Health and Physical Education Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons, School Psychology Commons, Sports Sciences Commons
