The effect of yoga on the self-regulation skills of 60-69 months-old children continuing pre-school education

In the study, the impact of a yoga education program on self-regulation skills of children attending preschool education aged 60-69 months was investigated. The study employed a pre-test post-test control group quasi-experimental pattern. The participants of the research consisted of a total of 36 children, 13 boys and 23 girls, who were receiving education in 5-year-old classes. Participant selection was carried out using a suitable sampling method. To obtain participation consent from the children, an 'Informed Consent Form' was presented to the families of the children, followed by a 'Personal Information Form' to facilitate the recognition of the children. Another data collection tool applied during the research process was the 'Self-Regulation Skills Scale for 4-6 Year-Old Children (Teacher Form)' developed by İvrendi and Erol (2018). The scale's internal consistency coefficient was 0.94, and the test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.81. The Cronbach's Alpha value for the entire scale was 0.96. The data in the study were analyzed using a statistical program. Numerical distributions of the data were examined, and frequency analysis was conducted. A t-test was employed to compare pre-test and post-test data. The analysis of the data revealed a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test mean scores of the experimental group in the sub-dimensions of self-regulation inhibitory control, attention, and working memory. Based on the findings obtained in the study, it has been concluded that yoga has a positive impact on the development of children's self-regulation skills, and recommendations have been made for the integration of yoga as an alternative method into educational programs. It has been emphasized that further research is needed to measure the effects of yoga on various domains of children's development. Additionally, since yoga is a method adaptable to individuals' age and physical characteristics, the development of diverse yoga education programs and their implementation in future studies has been suggested.