Social and Emotional Learning in Norwegian Kindergarten: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Launched by OSTFOLD UNIVERSITY COLLEGE · May 8, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at a program called Småsteg, which is the Norwegian version of the Second Step Early Learning program. It aims to help young children in kindergarten develop important social and emotional skills, like making friends and understanding their feelings. The study will involve about 990 children from 66 kindergartens and will compare the effects of the Småsteg program, which lasts for 28 weeks, to regular play activities. Researchers will gather feedback from parents and teachers to see how well the program helps children manage their emotions and develop empathy, which is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

To participate in this study, children must be between the ages of 1.5 and 6 years old, and they need to be in a kindergarten with at least 15 children. However, kindergartens that have already used the Småsteg program in the past four years cannot take part. Parents and teachers will answer some questions about the children's social and emotional skills before the program starts, right after it ends, and again six months later. This research is important because it can provide insights into how programs like Småsteg can support children's emotional development and potentially help shape early education practices in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • All children in the appropriate age group are eligble for inclusion in the study.
• • Kindergarten with approximately 15 children or more in the age group are eligble for enrollment.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Kindergartens cannot have implemented the Norwegian version of Second Step Early Learning as an active intervention in their kindergarten for at least the past four years from the start of this study.
• • Less than 15 participants in the kindergarten.