Mindful Little Minds: Reducing Posttraumatic Symptoms and Supporting Preschoolers Facing Chronic Stress

A total of 150 children aged 3–6 from preschools located in Israel, near the Gaza border participated in the study. The children were divided into two groups: the experimental group (n = 94) and the control group (n = 56). The Focused and Mindful program was implemented over one year and consisted of brief, structured mindfulness practices integrated into daily routines. A pre–post design was used to assess changes in preschoolers’ functioning utilizing standardized teacher and parent questionnaires that measured emotional, social, and behavioral difficulties, as well as preschooler’s mental resilience. The specific measures included in the study, and having self-explanatory names in the SPSS data file are:
The ADHD Rating Scale–IV (DuPaul et al., 1998)
Overall
Inattention
Impulsivity
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) (Goodman, 1997)
Overall
Hyperactivity/inattention
Conduct problems
Peer relationship problems
Prosocial behavior
Emotional symptoms
SCS - Social Competence Scale (Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 1995), filled by parents
Overall
Prosocial behaviors
Self-regulation
SCS - Social Competence Scale (Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 1995), filled by teacher
Overall
Prosocial behaviors
Self-regulation
PTSD - Child PTSD Symptom Scale (Foa et al., 1997), filled bu parent
Overall
Re-experiencing
Avoidance
Arousal
PTSD Symptoms Questionnaire (Frederick et al., 1992) filled by teachers