Building Minds and Communities: A Participatory, Culturally Grounded, and Digitally Enhanced Model for Promoting Executive Function skills in Preschoolers in Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

Introduction: While existing executive function skills interventions primarily focus on structured classroom activities or cognitive training models, they often fail to integrate cultural narratives and community-based learning approaches. Methods: This study aimed to develop and evaluate a participatory executive function skills promotion model that integrates community collaboration, cultural narratives, and digital engagement. A participatory action research approach was employed to co-design and implement the intervention with key stakeholders, including parents, teachers, Buddhist monks, and folk philosophers. Forty participants engaged in focus group discussions, non-participant observations, and interactive executive function skills training sessions delivered through LINE Official Account, a widely used mobile platform in Thailand. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key barriers, enablers, and impacts of the intervention on executive function skills development. Results: Findings revealed that integrating executive function skills development into everyday cultural practices strengthened children’s cognitive flexibility, perseverance, and self-regulation while fostering intergenerational knowledge transfer. Parents and caregivers reported increased confidence in guiding executive function skills development, and digital reinforcement via LINE Official Account enhanced accessibility and engagement. The intervention demonstrated feasibility and scalability, with high participation rates and sustained community involvement. Conclusion: This study highlights the effectiveness of a culturally grounded and technology-supported approach to executive function skills development in preschool children. By blending traditional wisdom with mobile-based reinforcement strategies, the model offers a sustainable, community-driven alternative to conventional executive function skills interventions. These findings provide a replicable framework for integrating culturally responsive cognitive training into early childhood education, particularly in low-resource, high-context cultural settings.