Enhancing Visual Perception and Motor Accuracy among School Children through a Mindfulness and Compassion Program

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Mindfulness and compassion practices are increasingly explored for their potential benefits in children.
• Visual perception and motor accuracy are foundational skills impacting academic performance.
• Anxiety can negatively affect cognitive functions and learning in school-aged children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the "Call to Care-Israel" program's impact on visual perception (VP) and motor accuracy.
• To assess the program's effects on anxiety levels and self-reported mindfulness in students.
• To explore the relationship between improvements in these cognitive and emotional measures.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design involving 138 children in the "Call to Care-Israel" program and 78 controls.
• 24 weekly intervention sessions focused on mindfulness and compassion cultivation.
• Repeated measures ANOVA and post hoc tests to analyze changes in VP, motor accuracy, mindfulness, and anxiety.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group for VP, motor accuracy, self-reported mindfulness, and reduced anxiety.
• No significant changes were noted in the control group for these measures.
• Positive correlations found between enhanced motor accuracy, reduced anxiety, and increased mindfulness.

Conclusions:

• The "Call to Care-Israel" program effectively enhanced visual perception, motor accuracy, and emotional well-being in elementary students.
• Improvements in these fundamental skills suggest a potential pathway for boosting academic outcomes.
• Mindfulness interventions show promise as a tool to support holistic child development and academic success.