The attention training technique improves children's ability to delay gratification: A controlled comparison with progressive relaxation
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Abstract
The ability to delay gratification at a young age is a predictor of psychological, cognitive, health, and academic later-life outcomes. This study aimed to extend earlier research and explore whether a metacognitive intervention, Wells' (1990) Attention Training Technique (ATT), could improve young children's ability to delay gratification compared to an active-control (Progressive Muscle Relaxation: PMR), and no-intervention group. One hundred and one children aged 5–6 years old were recruited from schools. Classes of children were randomly allocated to receive the ATT, PMR or no-intervention and tested at pre- and post-intervention on measures of delay of gratification (the Marshmallow Test) and verbal inhibition (Day/Night Task). Results showed that, even when covariates were controlled for, following ATT, children delayed gratification significantly longer than after PMR or no-intervention. ATT also improved verbal inhibition compared with the no-intervention group, whilst PMR did not. The results add to earlier findings; ATT appears to provide a simple and effective way of improving young children's ability to delay gratification which has previously been shown to predict positive outcomes in later-life.
Bibliographical metadata
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-6 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Behaviour research and therapy |
Volume | 104 |
Early online date | 15 Feb 2018 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - May 2018 |