Roots of regulation: A parent-based intervention integrating parental self-regulation and co-regulation in low-SES families in Türkiye
Metacognition and Learning, vol.21, no.1, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 21 Issue: 1
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1007/s11409-026-09476-y
- Journal Name: Metacognition and Learning
- Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Psycinfo, Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Education Collection (ProQuest), Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Keywords: Co-regulation, Parental intervention, Parental self-regulation, Parental stimulation, Self-regulation
- Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Self-regulation develops rapidly in early childhood and predicts school readiness, school adjustment, and academic achievement. However, children from low-SES families struggle with self-regulation, putting them at risk for school success. While research indicates that parental behaviors significantly influence children’s self-regulation, most interventions are classroom-based. The study aims to examine the effects of the parent-focused intervention on parental self-regulation, parents’ co-regulation, parental stimulation, and children’s self-regulation in Turkish low-SES families. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control-group design, 66 mothers and their 4- to 6-year-old children from low-SES families were assigned to two groups: an intervention and a control group. The intervention developed by the researchers includes six sessions organized into three modules. The assessment instruments included the “Me as a Parent Scale,” “Home Learning Index,” and “Emotion Regulation Checklist,” all of which were completed by the mothers. The researchers also administered the “The Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulder Revised (HTKS-R)” to the children and the “Parent-Child Challenge Task” to the mother-child dyads. Following the intervention, mothers demonstrated significant improvements in parental self-regulation, parental stimulation, and co-regulation. Children’s behavioral regulation also improved, and those outcomes were observed at the six-month follow-up within the intervention group, while there were no significant differences in children’s emotion regulation between the groups. Overall, the findings demonstrated that a parent-based intervention can enhance behavioral regulation in children from low-SES families. The study highlights the importance of early childhood self-regulation for future development and suggests promoting parent-focused programs, particularly in non-Western settings, to enhance children’s self-regulation.