The University of Surrey conducted a study on 240 children between the ages of seven and 11 to determine if practicing Taekwondo can help improve their self-regulation. The study found that after attending Taekwondo classes for 11 weeks, the students showed stronger emotional control, improved cognition, and better overall behavior. The researchers also found that children who practice Taekwondo have better attention and score higher on an executive attention test compared to those who attend traditional gym classes. Furthermore, the study found that strong self-regulation in children is linked to better mental health and academic performance. The study suggests that including traditional martial arts in schools can teach children the value of self-control and increase their use of self-regulation. Dr. Jerry Ng-Knight, a lecturer in psychology at Surrey’s School of Psychology, emphasizes that there are substantial personal and public benefits to improving children’s self-control, and the findings of this study suggest that including traditional martial arts in schools could achieve this. The study was published in the journal Developmental Psychology.
