DAILY MEDITATION VERSUS EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES: A PILOT AUSTRALIAN PRIMARY SCHOOL TRIAL

Abstract

This pilot study compared the effects of daily mindfulness meditation and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping on the emotional and behavioral regulation of 5-year-old children over a three-week period. Participants were divided into two groups, each receiving one of the interventions. Self-regulation, happiness, and life satisfaction were assessed weekly using validated measures. Results indicated that both interventions significantly improved self-regulation, however, no significant changes were observed in happiness and life satisfaction for either group. The findings suggest that while both mindfulness meditation and EFT tapping can enhance self-regulation in young children, longer intervention periods may be warranted for the other constructs. These results have implications for the implementation of mental health programs in early childhood education, highlighting the potential of both meditation and EFT practices to support emotional resilience from a young age.

Keywords: Meditation, emotional freedom techniques (EFT), children, emotional regulation.

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