We’re excited to share that Dr. Antonia Zachariou has been awarded a grant from the Nuffield Foundation to lead an important research project: “Interventions Supporting Early Self-Regulation: A Systematic Literature Review.”
This project will dive into how young children—especially those up to eight years old—develop self-regulation, the essential ability to manage emotions, attention, and behavior. These skills lay the foundation for academic success, emotional resilience, and overall well-being.
Why This Research Matters
It is often known that children who can concentrate, manage their thoughts and emotions, and adjust to new situations are better prepared for success in school and social situations. However, research on the best practices for developing these self-regulation abilities in young children remains an area of ongoing investigation.
Even though self-regulation is acknowledged to be important, many early childhood educators and practitioners lack evidence-based recommendations on how to best support young learners’ development of this skill. To address this gap, Dr. Zachariou’s research team will conduct a systematic review of existing interventions, examining their methodologies, effectiveness, and potential limitations.
The goal of this review is to compile the most recent research and offer a framework that can guide future intervention approaches. The results of this study will provide educators, parents, and policymakers with informative data that will help them make well-informed decisions to improve children’s development of self-regulation.
Meet the Team
The project brings together the team:
- Dr. Antonia Zachariou, Principal Investigator, University of Limassol
- Dr Hale Ögel-Balaban, Research Associate based at the University of Cambridge
- Dr Sue Robson, Independent Expert Consultant on self-regulation topics.
What’s Next?
The findings from this project will be shared widely through:
📢 Presentations at academic conferences
📄 Briefing papers for teachers and policymakers
📚 A peer-reviewed journal article
🌍 A public report accessible to everyone
The research officially started on January 9, 2025.
Want to follow along? You can learn more about the project here:
👉 Project Website
Stay tuned for updates as we uncover new insights into how to help children build the skills they need for a bright future!
The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust with a mission to advance social well-being. It funds research that informs social policy, primarily in Education, Welfare, and Justice. The Nuffield Foundation is the founder and co-funder of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, the Ada Lovelace Institute and the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory. The Foundation has funded this project, but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily the Foundation.
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Website: nuffieldfoundation.org
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