Effects of 4-week balance training program on executive function in preschool children: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Executive function delays have been steadily increasing in early childhood, influencing both academic achievement and life success. Effective interventions to promote executive function development are therefore urgently needed. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a four-week balance training program on executive function in 66 preschool children aged 4–6 years. Participants were randomly assigned to either a balance training group or a control group. The control group continued with the standard preschool curriculum, while the balance training group participated in four structured balance exercises, including double-leg stance, single-leg stance, balance path, and forward hopping on marking sheets for 45 minutes per day, three days per week, over four weeks. Executive function, including inhibition, shifting, emotional control, working memory, and planning, was assessed by teachers using the Executive Function Development Assessment at three time points: before training, after the four-week program, and at an eight-week follow-up. Data were analyzed using the Friedman test and the Mann–Whitney U test, with statistical significance set at p-value < 0.05. Results revealed significant improvements in all executive function domains in both groups after training. Consistent with the hypothesis, the balance training group showed greater gains in emotional control than the control group following four weeks of training. At the eight-week follow-up, the balance training group demonstrated significantly higher levels of emotional control (p-value = 0.036), working memory (p-value = 0.016), and planning (p-value = 0.039) compared to the control group. Improvements in inhibition, emotional control, and planning were particularly pronounced among children in the balance training group. In conclusion, both the standard preschool curriculum and balance training for at least four weeks can enhance executive function development in preschool children. However, the findings suggest that a structured balance exercise program may be more effective in promoting executive function development than the standard curriculum alone.