Inhibitory Control in Early Childhood Education: an Integrated Analysis between Curriculum, Managers and Teachers

Mírian Freire Tavares; Bárbara Solana Scarlassara

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202603288

Article derived from a Course Conclusion Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by Instituto Pecege for textual synthesis and organization.

Summary

Inhibitory control, a component of executive functions, is crucial for early childhood development, a critical period of neurodevelopment. The perception of teachers and managers of Early Childhood Education regarding inhibitory control in the routine of 4-year-old children, and aspects of their initial and continuing education, was investigated. The research used a Multiple Case Study design, with a qualitative and exploratory-descriptive approach, in two preschools of a São Paulo school network. Data were collected through documentary analysis of curricula and guidelines, and self-administered questionnaires with teachers and managers. The results revealed a gap in the formal knowledge of teachers and managers about executive functions and inhibitory control. The pedagogical practices observed for the development of these skills were predominantly based on experience and intuition, although some actions coincided with structured programs. The school network’s curricular documents did not explicitly address scientific terminology, but related terms indicated an implicit stimulus. It was concluded that there is an urgent need to intentionally integrate inhibitory control into Early Childhood Education teacher training programs, in order to align pedagogical practice with scientific knowledge and promote the full development of these skills.

Keywords: Self-control; Case study; Executive functions; Neuroscience in education; Teacher knowledge.

1. Introduction

Executive functions (EF) represent a set of higher mental processes, coordinated by the prefrontal cortex, that are essential for learning and goal-directed behavior. Among their central components are inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (Diamond, 2013). Inhibitory control, specifically, refers to the ability to resist distractions and impulses to maintain focus on a task. The development of these functions occurs from early childhood to adulthood, with the period between three and five years of age being a critical window of opportunity for the accelerated development of EF, given the intense cerebral neuroplasticity (Diamond, 2013).

In the Brazilian context, Early Childhood Education, which covers children from zero to five years old and becomes mandatory from the age of four (Brasil, 1996), is a fundamental space for the child’s integral development. A deep understanding of inhibitory control and self-control, a directly related competence, is a pillar for educators, as studies show that a greater capacity for self-control in childhood predicts better health, greater financial stability, and less involvement in criminal activities in adulthood (Moffitt et al., 2011). Thus, the intentional promotion of these skills from the earliest years is crucial.

Despite its relevance, the training of early childhood education teachers has been subject to criticism, pointing to generalist curricula and a fragile dialogue between theory and practice (Gatti, 2010; Gatti et al., 2019). Systematic reviews, such as that by Teixeira and Lindemann (2025), indicate gaps in teacher training regarding neurosciences and executive functions, revealing a dissonance between academic evidence and pedagogical practice. Recent research also shows that, although professionals value the topic, there are deficiencies in their prior knowledge, hindering intentional pedagogical interventions (Lepre and Souza, 2023).

This formative fragility is reflected in practice, where the analysis of curricular documents frequently reveals the absence of explicit scientific terminology on EF and inhibitory control. Although related terms such as “attention” and “play” appear, the stimulation of these skills occurs implicitly, without the intentionality and structuring that the literature points to as necessary for full development (Dias and Seabra, 2013). Additionally, it is observed that today’s children exhibit less control and attention, a phenomenon that may be aggravated by factors such as a lack of family boundaries and excessive screen use, impacting the brain pathways related to EF (Costa et al., 2025).

Given this scenario, it becomes imperative to investigate how inhibitory control is perceived and addressed in the daily routine of preschool. Contributing to the literature discussions, focusing on the experiences and challenges of teachers and the articulation offered by the educational network, is essential to improve teaching quality and reduce teacher stress (Zauza et al., 2022; León et al., 2023). The present work aimed to investigate the perception of early childhood education teachers regarding inhibitory control in the preschool routine (four-year-old children), as well as aspects of their initial and continuing education.

2. Material and Methods

The research was characterized as a multiple-case study, with a qualitative approach and exploratory-descriptive nature. The multiple-case design, as proposed by Yin (2015), was selected for its replication logic, allowing for comparison between the studied units to identify convergences or contrasts in the results. The exploratory purpose sought to direct the investigation towards “what” type questions, while the descriptive nature aimed to portray the phenomenon in detail based on the participants’ perceptions and practices in their real context.

The study was conducted in two preschools, named School A and School B for confidentiality purposes, both belonging to the same educational network in a medium-sized municipality in São Paulo state. The focus of the investigation was on the context of classes with four-year-old children. For socioeconomic characterization, data from the Socioeconomic Level Indicator (Inse) from INEP (2023) of Elementary School schools located within a two-kilometer radius of the preschools were used, confirming that the units were inserted in territories with similar socioeconomic profiles (Inse Level V).

The participant sample included professionals (teachers and managers) who worked with the group of young children (preschool I) during the 2025 school year. At School A, five teachers participated (three classroom teachers and two specialists in Art and Physical Education). At School B, three teachers participated (two classroom teachers and one specialist). Additionally, two school managers, one from each unit, also composed the sample, totaling eight teachers and two managers.

The data collection procedure was structured in two stages, based on data triangulation (Yin, 2015). The first stage consisted of the documentary analysis of curriculum guidelines from the education network. The Curriculum for Early Childhood Education (Municipality, 2019), aligned with the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC), and the Pedagogical Guidelines for Early Childhood Education (Municipality, 2023), which guide the work with children aged three to five years, were analyzed.

The second stage of data collection involved the application of self-administered electronic questionnaires, developed on the Google Forms platform. Two distinct instruments were used: a questionnaire for the management team (Appendix A) and another for the faculty (Appendix B). Both questionnaires consisted of mixed questions, containing closed and open-ended questions, with the aim of mapping the participants’ profile, their training trajectory, and their perceptions about the development of executive functions and inhibitory control in childhood.

For the treatment of information originating from the documentary analysis and the open-ended questions of the questionnaires, the categorical Content Analysis technique was employed, according to Bardin (2016). In this process, a floating reading of the textual corpus was performed, followed by the identification and grouping of registration units into thematic axes. For the documentary analysis, the categories were: scientific nomenclature; attention, motor and verbal inhibition; and practical strategies. The responses to the closed-ended questions of the questionnaires were tabulated and subjected to simple descriptive analysis.

The integrated analysis of data, essential for triangulating sources, was based on two analytical strategies by Yin (2015). The first, Pattern Matching, confronted empirical data with the theoretical framework, including the guidelines of the PIAFEx program and the literature on educational neuroscience. The second strategy, Cross-Case Synthesis, systematically compared the findings from Schools A and B to identify convergences and divergences in practices and perceptions, consolidating the explanation of the investigated phenomenon.

Ethical considerations were rigorously observed. The research obtained favorable opinion from the PECEGE Research Ethics Committee (CEP), under approval number 8.246.699 and CAAE registration: 93844725.1.0000.9927. All participants were invited via electronic means and agreed to participate by signing the Free and Informed Consent Term (TCLE). To ensure confidentiality, the real name of the municipality and the links to access the documents were omitted, and the specific positions of the managers were not identified, with the professors’ data described globally.

During the work preparation phase, the author utilized Artificial Intelligence tools, such as Gemini and Google Notebook LM. These platforms assisted in organizing the collected data, in consulting and mapping bibliographic references, and in the grammatical and structural revision of the text. The author reviewed and edited all content, assuming full responsibility for the originality and veracity of the publication.

3. Results and Discussion

The investigation into inhibitory control in the preschool context revealed crucial aspects of educational practice, focusing on teachers’ experiences and challenges, as well as the educational network’s guidelines. The findings of this research contribute to the existing literature, broadening the debate on educational neuroscience and teacher training. The presentation and discussion of the data follow the sequence of methodological steps, starting with documentary analysis, followed by the perceptions of managers and teachers, and culminating in an integrated analysis.

Mapping of official curricular guidelines on executive functions and inhibitory control

The documentary analysis, which included the Early Childhood Education Curriculum (Municipality, 2019) and the Pedagogical Guidelines (Municipality, 2023), sought to identify the presence of educational neuroscience knowledge, focusing on the development of executive functions (EF) and inhibitory control. It was found that direct scientific terminology, such as “executive functions” and “inhibitory control,” is not explicitly mentioned in the documents. This result, as synthesized in

, suggests a gap in the formal appropriation of these terms by the educational network, indicating that the concept may be present indirectly.

The absence of direct scientific nomenclature does not imply the total absence of the concept. Related terms, which indirectly address behavior regulation and the development of inhibitory control, were mapped. The word “attention” was found 15 times in the Pedagogical Guidelines (Municipality, 2023), predominantly associated with instructions to focus children’s attention or with games that develop this skill. The verb “to wait” registered a single occurrence, but aligned with the context of behavioral regulation. Although the frequency is low, these findings, detailed in

, indicate that the work with inhibitory control is implicitly addressed by the municipality.

The analysis also mapped terms and contexts associated with intervention strategies for the development of EF, inspired by reference programs such as PIAFEx (Dias, 2013) and Tools of the Mind (Diamond et al., 2007). The concept of “routine”, essential for structuring pedagogical times and spaces, registered 2 occurrences in the Curriculum and 10 in the Guidelines, always for 4-year-old children. “Play” was highlighted as an essential tool, with 89 mentions in total, and “pretend play” also showed relevance for inhibitory control, totaling 29 records, as role-playing requires collective self-regulation.

The mention of “rules and agreements”, fundamental for behavioral regulation, was more frequent in the Guidelines, with 7 records. However, the absence of other mediating strategies was noted in the analyzed documents, such as private speech, use of external mediators, heteroregulation, or breathing strategies, as demonstrated in

. This gap suggests that, although play and pretend play can stimulate executive skills, the stimulation occurs implicitly, without the intentionality and structuring that the literature points to as necessary for full development (Dias and Seabra, 2013).

The documentary analysis, in summary, revealed that the network’s curricula do not adopt an explicit theoretical approach to Executive Functions. The prevalence of terms such as “play” and “make-believe” suggests an implicit stimulation of these skills. However, scientific literature, such as the studies by Dias and Seabra (2013) with PIAFEx, demonstrates that explicit intervention results in significant gains in inhibitory control and self-control. Santos et al. (2025) and Crespi et al. (2020) also corroborate that the development of EFs should permeate daily practices and that play is an essential pedagogical tool for the maturation of the prefrontal cortex, requiring planning and intentionality from the teacher.

School management: knowledge, continuing education and the insertion of the theme

The characterization of the management team of Schools A and B revealed distinct professional experience profiles, with one manager newly joined (1 to 3 years of experience) and another with extensive experience (over 10 years). However, both presented a training gap regarding Executive Functions and inhibitory control. One manager reported only superficial and occasional contact with the topic in her professional career, while the other stated she had no prior contact with the subject, either in initial or continuing education.

Regarding institutional support, the school management data corroborated the findings of the documentary analysis. Both managers were unanimous in stating that, in the last two years, the Secretariat of Education had not offered official guidance or specific training on the development of inhibitory control or EF. However, in internal training sessions promoted by the schools, such as pedagogical meetings, the theme of self-control and attention is addressed, but in a strictly indirect manner, often diluted in discussions about routine or the resolution of indiscipline problems.

When detailing the resources and strategies discussed with the faculty during internal training sessions, the managers converged on two points: the use of theoretical texts on child development and the offering of practical guidance on classroom routine and organization. The discussion of specific student behavior cases and the in-depth exploration of playful strategies or directed games were cited by only one of the professionals. This indirect approach and lack of in-depth exploration reflect a structural deficit in training, as pointed out by Abreu et al. (2023), Crespi et al. (2020), and Lepre and Souza (2023).

The absence of clear guidance from the central education body was also noted, which aligns with criticisms of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) for not presenting explicit definitions about FE, generating gaps in pedagogical planning (Abreu et al., 2023). However, practical demands emerge in pedagogical meetings as “disciplinary issues,” evidencing that deficits in inhibitory control and self-regulation manifest as disruptive and impulsive behaviors in daily school life (Abreu et al., 2023; Dias, 2013).

Teachers: training, perceptions and practical strategies in preschool

The sample of teachers who responded to the questionnaire consisted of eight professors, five from School A (three regular teachers and two specialists) and three from School B (two regular teachers and one specialist). The majority of participants, six out of the eight professors, have more than four years of experience in Early Childhood Education, with three of them accumulating more than a decade of experience in the field. Only two teachers are in the initial period of their careers, with one to three years of practice, indicating a predominantly experienced group.

The qualitative analysis on the challenges in working with 4-year-old children revealed that most teachers identify significant difficulties. The difficulties were grouped into three central axes, as

. On the structural axis, four professors mentioned classroom overcrowding and the challenge of supporting students with inclusion. On the family axis, four teachers pointed out the lack of boundaries imposed by families and the impact of excessive screen time. However, the self-regulation and executive functions axis, cited by five professors, converged directly with the study’s objective, highlighting behavioral difficulties such as lack of focus, motor restlessness, inability to wait one’s turn, dealing with frustration, and obeying commands, which are reflections of immature inhibitory control.

The data on the initial and continuing education of teachers corroborate the scenario of a knowledge gap regarding inhibitory control and EF. The majority of participants, including all regular teachers (with a degree in Pedagogy), stated they had never encountered this knowledge during their initial training. Only Physical Education teachers reported superficial contact. Regarding continuing education, seven teachers affirmed they had no explicit contact with the topic, and only one indicated superficial contact, with no participant reporting in-depth study. These findings reinforce the formative fragility pointed out by Abreu et al. (2023).

When investigating teachers’ perceptions of the attention span and impulse control of 4-year-old children, participants described significant challenges. The reports were categorized into three axes, according to

. The first axis, “Sustained Attention Deficit and Dispersion,” was mentioned by six professors, indicating that class control and attention are low and short-lived. The second axis, “Immaturity of Inhibitory Control and Reactivity,” was cited by five professors, who described the children as immediate, impulsive, very talkative, scattered, with many conflicts and a constant need for mediation.

The third axis, “Dependence on Heteroregulation and Environmental Structuring,” was mentioned by four professors, who observed an improvement throughout the year with the insertion of routines, play, use of music and countdowns, in addition to sustained attention with organized transitions. This data highlights the need for mediation skills on the part of teachers to promote the development of EF. The literature, such as Dias (2013), Lepre and Souza (2023), Abreu et al. (2023), and Crespi et al. (2020), corroborates the importance of intentional teacher mediation, which should provide assistance and gradually transfer responsibility to the child, aiming for their autonomy.

To investigate the strategies mobilized by teachers in situations of agitation and dispersion, the open-ended responses were analyzed and categorized into three structuring axes, according to

. “Axis 1: Sensory and Environmental Modulation” was cited by five professors, including the use of external mediators such as music, sound signals, dimming lights, and changes in voice intonation. “Axis 2: Physiological Pause and Cognitive Load Reduction” was mentioned by two professors, referring to strategies for calming, breathing, and rest breaks. “Axis 3: Directed Motor Engagement and Combinations” was cited by two professors, encompassing command-based games and agreements.

These teaching practices, although based on experience and intuition (Tardif, 2012), align remarkably with evidence and proposals from structured intervention programs, such as PIAFEx. The use of external mediators and physiological pauses, for example, is corroborated by Dias (2013) and Diamond (2007) as effective environmental strategies to minimize distractors and activate inhibitory control. Games that require motor inhibition, such as “Simon Says,” are also recommended in PIAFEx (Dias and Seabra, 2013). Playful breathing activities, such as “smell the flower and blow out the candle,” were indicated by six teachers and are recognized by León et al. (2023) as effective for emotional regulation and impulse control.

The use of external sound mediators was well indicated by the professors. Verbal commands for silence, breathing activities, and sound or rhythmic signals were cited by six teachers each. Command games were mentioned by five professors, and transition music by four. Visual cues were cited by two teachers, and counting by one. The use of time markers, such as timers or hourglasses, was not mentioned by any participant. This information, which in the original TCC was presented in

, demonstrate that, although some effective strategies are employed, there is a gap in the use of visual and temporal mediators, which scientific literature (Diamond, 2013; Dias, 2013) proves to be effective in aiding the abstraction of waiting and organization of routine.

The didactic transposition of neuroscientific knowledge for the continuing education of teachers is a way to improve teaching in Early Childhood Education. By equipping the educator with a biological understanding of how children process time and rules, visual mediators can integrate a repertoire of intentional strategies, enhancing the development of child self-regulation. The research revealed that 75% of the sample (six teachers) perceive “little progress” in children’s inhibitory control between the beginning and end of the school year, a pattern that remained congruent between the two schools, suggesting that attentional and inhibitory difficulties are reflections of the natural course of neurodevelopment in 4-year-old children, whose prefrontal cortex is maturing (NCPI, 2016).

Despite the perception of “little evolution”, some teachers reported that the children began to “deal better with frustrations” or showed “significant improvement”. This indicates that progress in inhibitory control, although real and promoted by mediation and routine, often does not reach the level of total self-control idealized by adults for collective coexistence, being perceived as insufficient given the demands of the school routine. This asymmetry between teaching expectations and practical observation points to the need for alignment between empirical knowledge and scientific knowledge.

When comparing today’s children with those from previous years, seven out of eight teachers stated that children today have less control and attention. This perception predominated in both schools, suggesting a broad generational and social phenomenon, possibly related to a lack of family boundaries and excessive screen use, which affect the brain pathways related to EF (Costa et al., 2025). The only participant who did not perceive a historical/generational difference had less experience (1 to 3 years), which may explain the absence of a longitudinal perspective.

The entirety of the sample (100%) agreed that affect is a fundamental and indispensable condition for child self-regulation. Affective strategies act as mediators in the acceptance of rules, as the bond allows the child to understand that limits are care and organization, not punishment. When the child feels welcomed and secure, they trust the teacher more and better accept limits and guidance, starting to “want to please and do their part of the agreements”. This empirical perception of teachers has strong grounding in neurodevelopment and cognitive psychology, where the establishment of a secure affective bond and the quality of interactions are significant predictors for the development of executive skills (Dias, 2013; NCPI, 2016).

Integrated analysis: inhibitory control from the perspective of documents, managers, and teachers

The comparative analysis between Schools A and B, based on the Cross-Case Synthesis technique (Yin, 2015), revealed an expressive convergence of data. Inserted in similar socioeconomic contexts (Inse Level V, according to INEP, 2023), no significant dissonance was observed between the units. Teacher perceptions unanimously converged regarding the daily challenges of inhibitory control, the strategies mobilized, and the importance of affection in dealing with children in Early Childhood Education, consolidating a robust explanation of the phenomenon investigated in the school network.

In addition, the application of the Pattern Matching technique (Yin, 2015) confirmed that teachers’ empirical perception aligns perfectly with the theoretical framework adopted. The reported challenges accurately reflect the natural stage of neurobiological maturation of EF expected for 4-year-old children, confirming that the 3 to 5-year age range is a fundamental window of opportunity for the development of these skills. However, data triangulation revealed a gap between practical intuition and scientific knowledge.

It became clear that teachers do not possess the knowledge derived from educational neuroscience to deeply understand the phenomenon they observe. This formative gap was noted both in reports on initial and continuing teacher training and in the managers’ views. Furthermore, official curricular documents do not explicitly present these aspects. Although the curriculum of the investigated municipality has a socio-interactionist alignment that values interactions, play, and make-believe, premises defended by Diamond (2013), the absence of neuroscientific guidelines overburdens the teacher, generating expectations of inhibitory performance often unattainable for the child’s maturation level.

Understanding Executive Functions, especially inhibitory control, is a decisive step towards mitigating disruptive behaviors that negatively impact teaching and learning. Gatti (2010) and Gatti et al. (2019) point out that criticisms of teacher training often clash with dispersed and generalist models, which do not dialogue with the real needs of the “school floor”. The authors argue that teachers need to go beyond intuition to consolidate intentional practice in their daily actions. Current scientific evidence shows that equipping educators with this theoretical framework transcends student benefit, having direct positive results in reducing teacher stress (Zauza et al., 2022; León et al., 2023).

In summary, the research revealed that the formal knowledge of teachers and managers regarding executive functions and inhibitory control is incipient. The pedagogical practices observed for the development of these skills are predominantly based on experience and intuition, although some actions coincide with structured programs. The network’s curricular documents do not explicitly address scientific terminology, but related terms indicate an implicit stimulus. Teachers’ perception of children’s behavioral challenges and the importance of affection in the development of self-control are consistent with the literature, but the lack of specific training prevents intentional and systematized intervention, highlighting the urgency of integrating inhibitory control into early childhood teacher training programs to align pedagogical practice with scientific knowledge.

4. Conclusion

This research sought to understand the perception of teachers and managers in Early Childhood Education regarding inhibitory control in the routine of four-year-old children, as well as aspects of their initial and continuing education. A gap was found in the formal knowledge of teachers and managers about executive functions and inhibitory control, both in initial and continuing education. The curricular documents of the analyzed educational network did not explicitly address scientific terminology, although related terms such as “attention”, “routine”, “play”, and “pretend play” indicated an implicit stimulus to these skills. It was observed that the pedagogical practices employed by teachers for the development of inhibitory control, although based on experience and intuition, often aligned with strategies recommended by structured intervention programs. However, teachers reported significant challenges related to lack of focus, motor restlessness, and impulsivity in children, perceiving little progress in self-control throughout the school year and a decrease in attention compared to previous generations, a phenomenon associated with a lack of family boundaries and excessive screen time. All teachers recognized affection as a fundamental condition for child self-regulation.

The main contribution of this study lies in highlighting the urgency of intentionally integrating inhibitory control into teacher training programs for Early Childhood Education, aligning pedagogical practice with scientific knowledge and promoting the full development of these skills. The absence of a neuroscientific theoretical framework overburdens the teacher, generating expectations that are sometimes unattainable for the child’s maturation level and impacting teacher stress. As a limitation, this research did not delve into how teacher interventions are organized or whether they emerge reactively or intentionally. It is suggested for future studies to investigate the intentionality and systematization of pedagogical strategies and to deepen the understanding of how contemporary sociocultural dynamics impact child behavior and the development of executive functions.

Bibliographic References

Brasil. 1996. Lei nº 9.394, de 20 de dezembro de 1996. Estabelece as diretrizes e bases da educação nacional. Diário Oficial da União, Brasília, 23 dez. 1996. Seção 1, p. 27833.

Diamond, A. 2013. Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology 64: 135-168. Disponível em: <https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750>. Acesso em: 01 set. 2025.

Moffitt, T.E.; Arseneault, L.; Belsky, D.; Dickson, N.; Hancox, R.J.; Harrington, H.; Houts, R.; Poulton, R.; Roberts, B.W.; Ross, S.; Sears, M.R.; Thomson, W.M.; Caspi, A. 2011. A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108(7): 2693-2698. Disponível em: <https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1010076108>. Acesso em: 01 set. 202

Article originating from a Final Course Work on Neuroscience and Learning in Education

To learn more about the course, click here and access the MBX Academy platform