Determining the Impact of Emotive Intelligent Space on Children's Self-Regulation and Cognitive Performance

Specific Aims

The percentage of young children living in the Mountain West (MW) rural areas is higher than the national average, placing them at a greater risk of poorer health and education outcomes. The proposed project aims to improve those young children's self-regulation - a critical cognitive skill that underpins future mental health and academic outcomes. Self-regulation has been studied as a promising treatment of various mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. A longitudinal study indicates a strong association between kindergarten children's self-regulation skill and their inhibitory control two decades later (inhibitory control was indicated by substance abuse, crimes, and mental disorders). The lack of inhibitory control is a prominent issue among adults in the MW region, as suggested by a nation-wide longitudinal study, with several MW states' average scores ranked near the bottom in the U.S. 7(e.g., Idaho#37, Wyoming#46, Nevada#50). Research also linked the early self-regulation skill to long-term academic achievement, as shown in several early literacy and mathematics intervention studies, further emphasizing an urgent need for interventions targeting self-regulation during a developmentally sensitive age period (age 3-6). To reduce rural children's health and education disparities, we propose to test the effectiveness of an innovative intervention mechanism, Emotive Intelligent Space (EIS), on children's self-regulation, physiological, and cognitive outcomes.

The EIS consists of two 3 x 5 sq. ft. wooden wall panels with LED lights, creating a 90-degree semi-private space. The adaptable colored lightings are controlled by a machine learning algorithm that is developed based on a co-investigator's published prior research11. The EIS harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to detect children's emotions from physiological data collected by a digital wristband in real-time and to translate these data into environmental changes (i.e., adaptable colored lighting) that adequately respond to children's emotions12,13. The colored lighting on the EIS is a developmentally appropriate intervention mechanism for young children (age 3-6) for their non-invasive, adaptive, responsive, and low-cost design.

The purpose of this proposal is to determine the effect of the EIS on children's behavioral, physiological, and cognitive outcomes using a quasi-experimental design. Forty children in rural areas near Moscow, ID will be recruited via existing collaborative relationships such as U of I research extension programs and Rural Sociology and Economics programs. The EIS could potentially alleviate many challenges facing rural families with young children (e.g., limited access to affordable, quality health and education resources). In the specific aims listed below, children's age, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) will be included as covariates.

Specific Aim 1: To determine whether EIS influences children's self-regulation. We hypothesize that children will demonstrate better self-regulation under the EIS condition than under the baseline condition.