Thinking and Children

Thinking and Children

The Effectiveness of the Philosophy Education Curriculum for Children on Emotional Self-Regulation and Psychological Flexibility of Students

Articles in Press

Document Type : Scientific- research

Authors
Mohammadjavad Farhadipour 1
Mahmood Noori 2
Habibeh Zare, 3
Zeinab Mohammadi 4
Mohammad Kazem Zeraatkar 5
1 M.A. Department of Elementary Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
2 Ph.D. Department of Educational Sciences, Bandar Abbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
3 M.A. Department of Educational Sciences, Arsanjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arsanjan, Iran
4 M.A. Department of ElementaryEducation, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
5 Ph.D. Students, Department ofEducational Sciences, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of the philosophy education curriculum for children on emotional self-regulation and psychological flexibility of students. This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population of the study was female elementary school students in Shiraz city in the academic year 2021-2022. From this population, a sample of 30 people was selected using a random cluster sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. Data collection tools included The Affective Style Questionnaire (ASQ) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Data analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of covariance in software (SPSS version 24). Data analysis showed that the philosophy curriculum for children led to significant differences between groups in psychological flexibility and emotional self-regulation (P<0.05). According to the findings, the philosophy curriculum for children has been able to give students the ability to improve their psychological flexibility and emotional self-regulation processes.
Keywords: Teaching philosophy for children, psychological flexibility, emotional self-regulation, Curriculum, Students
Introduction
The primary school period is considered one of the most sensitive and influential stages of the educational system worldwide, as it plays a fundamental role in the cognitive, emotional, and social development of children. During this period, students are experiencing rapid changes mentally, physically, and emotionally, and face challenges such as increased autonomy, emotional fluctuations, and exposure to new concepts. Therefore, accurately recognizing children's developmental characteristics and responding to their needs is a fundamental necessity for parents, teachers, and the education system. One of the factors that can influence how children develop during this age period is emotional self-regulation. According to theories of emotional development such as Gross's (1998) emotion regulation model, children's ability to manage their emotions plays an important role in their mental health and social adjustment. Emotional self-regulation, as a key component of psychological development, helps children identify, evaluate, and express their emotions in an adaptive manner. Cognitive flexibility is another key component of executive functions that emerges and develops significantly during childhood. This ability refers to the mind's ability to regulate and change cognitive and behavioral actions in response to environmental feedback. Several intervention approaches have been used to improve children's cognitive and emotional functioning, one of the most prominent of which is the philosophy curriculum for children. Students, especially in elementary school, are considered one of the most sensitive and vulnerable groups in society, and their mental health plays a fundamental role in shaping social health and educating the future generation. Meanwhile, two important psychological components, namely emotional self-regulation and cognitive flexibility, are key factors in children's emotional development, social adaptation, and academic success. Lack or weakness in these skills can lead to problems in individual, family, and educational dimensions, including increased anxiety, decreased resilience, academic failure, and disruption in social relationships. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of the philosophy curriculum for children on emotional self-regulation and cognitive flexibility of elementary school students, in order to respond to this scientific gap and pave the way for the development of educational approaches based on the comprehensive development of children.
Materials & Methods
The method of this research was quasi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this research consisted of all female elementary school students in Shiraz in the academic year 2021-2022. To determine the sample size of the research, Gall et al. (2012) have proposed a rule according to which, for experimental and quasi-experimental research, 15 people are recommended for each of the experimental and control groups. Therefore, it was predicted that a sample of 30 people (15 people for each group) would be selected from this population using random cluster sampling method and divided into two experimental and control groups. The method of selecting the statistical sample was as follows: First, one school was randomly selected from among the elementary schools in Shiraz city, and 30 students were selected considering the entry and exit criteria and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The inclusion criteria for the subjects in this study were: the student's education in the fifth and sixth grades, the satisfaction of school officials and the student's parents, and the student's willingness to participate in the training course. The exclusion criteria were also determined as not completing homework and being absent for more than two sessions during the training.
Discussion & Result
The first finding of the study showed that the philosophy curriculum for children led to an increase in the average scores of participants in the experimental group in cognitive flexibility and its dimensions, including persistence error and total error, compared to the control group. Therefore, it can be argued that the philosophy curriculum for children is effective on cognitive flexibility (error of persistence and total error) in elementary school students. The second finding of the study showed that implementing a philosophy education program for children had a significant effect on emotional self-regulation components and led to a decrease in concealment, an increase in compromise, and an improvement in tolerance in elementary school students.
Conclusion
The present study, like other scientific studies, has limitations that must be considered when interpreting and generalizing the results. These limitations can be classified into two general categories: methodological and scope limitations, and implementation and operational limitations. According to the research results, it is suggested that the philosophy education program be implemented for children in other educational levels and for male students as well to examine the generalizability of the results. Also, the use of clinical tools such as interviews can help to more accurately assess emotional and psychological dimensions. Considering the theoretical foundations related to emotional development and the available empirical evidence, it is suggested that teaching philosophy to children be used as an effective approach in promoting emotional self-regulation and psychological flexibility in elementary schools. This program fosters emotional growth and psychological adjustment in students by strengthening critical thinking, dialogue, and empathy. Its implementation in the form of educational workshops or supplementary curriculum programs can be used by psychologists, counselors, and teachers as a preventive strategy against psychological and behavioral problems.
Keywords
Teaching philosophy for children
psychological flexibility
emotional self-regulation
Curriculum
Students
Subjects
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Thinking and Children

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 February 2026

  • Receive Date 06 December 2024
  • Revise Date 08 February 2026
  • Accept Date 15 February 2026
  • Publish Date 15 February 2026