Supporting social-emotional and behavioral skills in preschool children through gymnastics

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a structured basic gymnastics education program on the social-emotional and behavioral skills of preschool children. The study sample consisted of 40 typically developing children aged 48-69 months who were enrolled in private early childhood education institutions in Çorum province, Türkiye. METHODS: A mixed-method research design was employed, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative component adopted a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design, whereas the qualitative component was conducted using a case study approach. The experimental group (n = 20) participated in an eight-week structured basic gymnastics education program, whereas the control group (n = 20) continued with the regular preschool curriculum without additional intervention. Group assignment was based on existing classroom structure. Quantitative data were collected through teacher-reported measures, including the Self-Regulation Skills Scale, the Emotion Regulation Scale, and the Social Competence and Behavior Assessment Scale. Qualitative data were obtained via semi-structured interviews with parents. Quantitative analyses were performed using SPSS software. Data normality was examined using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and depending on distributional assumptions, independent samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were applied. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d for parametric analyses and r coefficients for nonparametric analyses. RESULTS: Quantitative findings indicated no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups at baseline across all outcome variables (all p > .05; d < 0.20), confirming baseline comparability. Posttest comparisons revealed that children in the experimental group achieved significantly higher scores in self-regulation, emotion regulation, and social competence compared to those in the control group (all p < .05). The associated effect sizes ranged from moderate to large (r = .46-0.82), indicating meaningful intervention effects. Within-group analyses further demonstrated significant and substantial improvements across all measured variables in the experimental group from pretest to posttest (all p < .05; r > .80). Consistent with these quantitative findings, qualitative analyses identified themes reflecting notable improvements in children's emotional awareness, self-control, social interaction, and behavioral regulation skills. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that basic gymnastics education represents an effective intervention for supporting the social-emotional and behavioral development of preschool children.