Emotional Competence Skills Research Articles

Profiles of young children's home environment and association with their development.

This study aimed to identify profiles of young children's early home environment and explore their association with development in motor, inhibitory control, language, and emotional competence skills. The sample included 2,158 children (51.4% male), 35.47 months old on average. Four home environment profiles emerged: high support and high discipline (HS-HD), high support and low discipline (HS-LD), average support and average discipline (AS-AD), and low support and low discipline (LS-LD). Notably, children from higher socioeconomic status (SES) families were more likely to be associated with HS-HD and HS-LD profiles. Girls exhibited a higher likelihood of belonging to the HS-LD profile. Utilizing regression analyses, children showed the highest motor, inhibitory control, language, and emotional competence development when they were in the HS-LD home environment profile. A concerning finding is that high discipline from parents was negatively associated with children's development, despite providing a high-quality physical environment. The text highlights the positive implications of providing a high-quality home learning environment and offers constructive recommendations for improving practice and future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The feasibility of TOGETHER: a collaborative educator-parent programme for teaching social and emotional competence in young children

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of the TOGETHER: Growing Children’s Social and Emotional Competence programme. This programme was designed to build a more collaborative relationship between educators and parents so that they could, together, develop children’s social and emotional competence skills by using positive behaviour support strategies in an Australian early year setting. The findings are reported on two educators, two children and their mothers. Data were collected via a questionnaire, rating scale, direct classroom and home observations and educator/parent interviews. The results indicated an increase in educator and parent positive responses to the two young children’s appropriate behaviour and a decrease in their challenging behaviour. The findings also showed inconsistencies between educators in implementing the strategies. Educators and parents developed a more collaborative relationship. Identified barriers families have with accessing this type of programme are discussed.

Effects of philosophical ethics in early childhood on preschool children's social–emotional competence and theory of mind

Although social–emotional learning (SEL) and ethics education are important, it remains a challenging issue to effectively implement these practices. In this study, a Philosophical Ethics in Early Childhood approach is proposed for developing children's social–emotional competence and Theory of Mind. To evaluate the effectiveness of this expanded intervention, an experiment was conducted by assigning 73 children aged 3–5 to an experimental group (N = 37) and a comparative group (N = 36). Parents and teachers completed Head Start Competence Scales, the Theory of Mind Inventory and parent and teacher questionnaires. Teacher and Child Interviews were conducted. According to the teachers’ reports, the experimental group children demonstrated significantly increased social–emotional competence skills and increased understanding of their own and others’ emotions compared to the comparative group children. This program includes games, extension activities, and dialogue to support children in deeply thinking about social and emotional dilemmas, sharing their ideas, and creating solutions.

LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF FEATURES OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN ADOLESCENCE

The article deals with the specifics of emotional shifts in adolescence, i.e., the transformation of the main components of emotional intelligence given personal traits inherent in adolescents. The issue of psychological and pedagogical features of emotional intelligence in adolescence was considered: the authors concluded that the development of emotional intelligence is an important factor for adolescents’ adaptation to the social environment, which helps balance emotions and reason, be responsible for themselves, create a strategy for their life. A three-year longitudinal study comprising three assessments, separated by one year each, revealed significant positive dynamics in the development of emotional intelligence and changes from a closed lifestyle to openness to society. The same positive dynamics are observed in personal maturation. Certain changes in the specifics of the correlation between the components of emotional intelligence and personality factors were established: the increase in the level of components of emotional intelligence, the acquisition of the emotional stability skills, and the improvement of social interaction. It is empirically proven that in adolescence, there is a dynamic manifestation of emotional intelligence depending on the inherent psychological characteristics. Passivity in interpersonal relationships is replaced by activity and manifestations of cooperation. Persistence, plasticity and responsibility help teenagers to succeed in the creative and scientific spheres. Emotional comfort, resilience, self-sufficiency and curiosity allow children to correctly identify their feelings and be able to control them. Prospects for further research were identified: the elaboration of methodological recommendations and posters for both students and teachers and parents to develop emotional competence skills for psychoeducation and independent improvement of all components of emotional intelligence.

Development of a theoretically and empirically grounded emotion knowledge training for the young

Background: Digital mental health trainings can be an impactful and efficient way to promote well-being and prevent psychopathology during the sensitive developmental periods of adolescence and young adulthood. However, many online and app-based trainings are often not grounded in science or have low engagement rates due to poor usability. The aim of the current project was to tackle both of these issues in the development of an emotional competence skills training for youth (target age: 16-22). Given that deficits in emotional competence constitute a risk factor for poor mental health, we built a training that aims to increase knowledge and understanding of emotions and the processes that underlie them. Methods: As a theoretical base, we used the Component Process Model to teach youth to understand their emotional experiences as a dynamic process that involves the activation of appraisals, bodily reactions, expressions, action tendencies and subjective feelings. To avoid issues related to low engagement, we included youth across various stages throughout the development of the training program, which allowed us to make changes incrementally at each stage. Feedback from several focus groups, Youth Advisory Board meetings, and a pilot study resulted in the development of a gamified emotional knowledge skills training that teaches young people how to understand, recognize, and reflect on their emotions. Results: Results showed that when it came to digital mental health trainings, youth valued personalization, relatability, fast and colorful graphics, professional audiovisual elements, interactivity, ease-of-use, privacy protection and scientific legitimacy. Conclusions: In this paper, we describe and reflect on the process of developing the training and offer suggestions to help guide future researchers in building mental health trainings that are both supported by science and appealing to young users.

Emotional Competence Within the Stress Coping Strategies of Music Education Students

Researchers have identified high levels of stress among music education students, but we know very little about how students manage this stress and how emotional competence skills might be utilized within stress coping mechanisms for this population. Through this qualitative study, we sought to understand the stress coping strategies of eight music education majors through the lens of emotional competence as outlined by Saarni. We identified several sources of participants’ stress: general life stress, schedule, performance expectations, and coursework. Student coping strategies included awareness of stress, an attitude of pushing through, self-care, and seeking support. Through coding and utilization of the theoretical framework, we concluded that all eight of Saarni’s emotional competence skills were evident in the data as a whole, but not for each individual participant. Minimal evidence was found for half of the skills and for some students they were nonexistent, thus indicating a need for growth in emotional competency. Gaining an understanding of how music education majors cope with their stress could be a key step toward understanding how to better support students throughout their degree programs and as they transition into the field of music education.

Reducing worry and rumination in young adults via a mobile phone app: study protocol of the ECoWeB (Emotional Competence for Well-Being in Young Adults) randomised controlled trial focused on repetitive negative thinking

BackgroundPromoting well-being and preventing poor mental health in young people is a major global priority. Building emotional competence skills via a mobile app may be an effective, scalable and acceptable way to do this. A particular risk factor for anxiety and depression is elevated worry and rumination (repetitive negative thinking, RNT). An app designed to reduce RNT may prevent future incidence of depression and anxiety.Method/designThe Emotional Competence for Well-Being in Young Adults study developed an emotional competence app to be tested via randomised controlled trials in a longitudinal prospective cohort. This off-shoot study adapts the app to focus on targeting RNT (worry, rumination), known risk factors for poor mental health. In this study, 16–24 year olds in the UK, who report elevated worry and rumination on standardised questionnaires are randomised to (i) receive the RNT-targeting app immediately for 6 weeks (ii) a waiting list control who receive the app after 6 weeks. In total, the study will aim to recruit 204 participants, with no current diagnosis of major depression, bipolar disorder or psychosis, across the UK. Assessments take place at baseline (pre-randomisation), 6 and 12 weeks post-randomisation. Primary endpoint and outcome for the study is level of rumination assessed on the Rumination Response Styles Questionnaire at 6 weeks. Worry, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and well-being are secondary outcomes. Compliance, adverse events and potentially mediating variables will be carefully monitored.DiscussionThis trial aims to better understand the benefits of tackling RNT via an mobile phone app intervention in young people. This prevention mechanism trial will establish whether targeting worry and rumination directly via an app provides a feasible approach to prevent depression and anxiety, with scope to become a widescale public health strategy for preventing poor mental health and promoting well-being in young people.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04950257. Registered 6 July 2021 – Retrospectively registered.

Emotional Intelligence in Teachers’ Activities

Emotional intelligence (EQ) development is becoming a more important issue among such significant factors as competence and efficiency due to the constant and rapid social transformations, new challenges, high social norms, and setting high professional standards. The ability to control emotions and recognize them is especially important for a future teacher who faces two objectives that make a success or failure when establishing communication: developing the personal abilities that provide a basis for emotional intelligence and developing students’ emotional intelligence. A future teacher should be involved in searching for new approaches and tools for understanding and controlling emotions, as well as developing the ability to empathize. The aim of this research is to help a teacher acquires effective skills to build optimal relationships with colleagues and students. This search is also due to the need to develop the skills to exercise self-knowledge, understand the motives and goals in a professional teaching environment, to influence the emotions of other people, and to improve the leadership qualities. The article describes the results of an experiment carried out at the Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology of Naberezhnye Chelny State Pedagogical University and at the Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy of Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University named after K. Minin in 2019. The experiment was aimed at measuring the development level of students’ emotional intelligence that affects the quality of various aspects of professional activity. The authors discuss the main criteria for assessing the level of future teachers’ emotional intelligence and give characteristics of each criterion. We have come to the conclusion that developed skills of emotional competence are of great importance to teachers and children, and to the successful social interaction. The findings of the research can be applied when working out the programs to develop emotional intelligence in order to resolve conflicts and forecast their consequences in a professional teaching environment.

Improving Emotional Competence in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Mild Intellectual Disability in Schools: A Preliminary Treatment Versus Waitlist Study

AbstractThis pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of delivering a new cognitive behavioural intervention package ‘Emotion-Based Social Skills Training (EBSST) for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Mild Intellectual Disability (ASD + MID)’ in schools. Fourteen school counsellors nominated 75 children (aged 7–13 years) with ASD + MID to receive 16 sessions of EBSST in groups of 3–8 children in their schools. Parent and teacher pre-post ratings of emotional competence (Emotions Development Questionnaire), social skills (Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales) and mental health (Developmental Behaviour Checklist) were collected. Forty-three children received 16 sessions of EBSST and 32 children were allocated to the 9-month waitlist control group. Teachers and parents also received six EBSST training sessions in separate groups at school. Significant improvements in parent and teacher ratings of emotional competence were found at posttreatment among children in the EBSST group relative to controls; however, the results were not significant after the Bonferroni adjustment. Small to medium effect sizes were found. No difference in untrained social skills or mental health was observed. This study provides preliminary support for the utility of EBSST in teaching emotional competence skills for children with ASD + MID in schools and provides valuable pilot data for future research.

Implications of Carolyn Saarni’s work for preschoolers’ emotional competence

Carolyn Saarni made invaluable contributions to the study of emotion. Most centrally, she conceived of ‘emotional competence’. She described emotional competence skills, and their development, through lenses of both functionalist and social constructivist views of emotions. Given these perspectives, she added not only to the description of emotional competence skills, but also to the conceptualization of, and findings regarding, emotional competence’s socialization. Further, she also emphasized cultural considerations about emotional competence and its socialization. In this article, then, the nature, development, and socialization of preschoolers’ emotional competence (i.e., emotional expressiveness, emotion regulation, and emotion knowledge) are described. As well, evidence of how these skills facilitate children’s social competence and school success is reviewed. Finally, examples of cultural issues emanating from Saarni’s ideas are described. Conclusions frame Saarni’s impact on these findings.

The effects of emotional awareness training on teachers’ ability to manage the emotions of preschool children: An experimental study

This article describes the process and results of a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) on teachers’ ability to manage the emotions of preschool children during a constrained play activity. Thirty early childhood education teachers participated in the study. Half of the participants were taught strategies to enhance their own emotional competence. The control group was provided with standard information on child development. The experimental group was trained in active strategies on emotion coaching, emotional schemas, reflective practice focused on emotions, and mindfulness training. The teachers’ outcomes were assessed in situ during a pretend play session with small groups of preschoolers. The dependent variables were observed occurrences of different components of emotional competence in teachers. Significant statistical differences were found between the two groups across the three different emotional competence skills (regulation, expression, and knowledge) demonstrated by the early childhood teachers during a game situation. This experimental study highlights the processes through which teachers support the emotional competence of young children, and the importance of the role of early childhood teachers' own emotional competence on the socialisation of children’s emotions. Most importantly, it provides evidence, based on the influence of emotion-focused teacher-training and reflective practices, that teachers’ emotional skills should be supported such that they can optimally meet the emotional needs of young children.

Key considerations in assessing young children’s emotional competence

Recent years have witnessed a surge in evidence on preschoolers’ emotional development as crucial for both concurrent and later well-being and mental health, and for learning and academic success. Given the importance of building such strengths, assessing emotional competence skills is important to aid early childhood educators in focusing programming for individuals and classrooms. Based on these assertions, this article is structured as follows: (1) outline important issues regarding developmentally appropriate early childhood assessment, particularly of emotional competence; (2) discuss use of culturally relevant standards of attainment of such skills in assessing student progress; (3) define the skills of emotional competence; (4) describe a model leading from developmentally appropriate emotional competence skills to assessment and programming; (5) suggest some possible tools for schools to use in assessing emotional competence of young children; (6) give guidance for new measurement development, and (7) suggest needed policy and practice in this area.

Social and Emotional Learning in a Freshman Seminar

First year college students are challenged both socially and academically in their transition to college life. The literature suggests that social and emotional competence skills can help with this transition. This article describes the course content for a University freshman seminar that teaches skills in social and emotional competence in order to ease the transition into college and facilitate academic success. This paper discusses instruction about five core components of social and emotional competence: knowledge of emotions in self and others; self-management, relationship, and tolerance skills; and behavioral and perceptual flexibility. Specific content, assignments, and pedagogical techniques are discussed and implications for helping freshman are considered.

Emotional competence and behavior problems: Differences across Preschool Assessment of Attachment classifications

This study examined attachment in association with preschoolers' emotional functioning among 54 predominantly low-income families living in Appalachia. Attachment was assessed at age 4 years using the Strange Situation (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978) and classified with the PAA (Crittenden, 2004). Emotional competence was measured via an interview about children's memories for six emotions, rated in terms of both emotion understanding and regulation. Parent-, teacher-, and self-reports of children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms were also completed. Questionnaires and interviews assessed socioeconomic risk and parental symptoms and negative childhood experiences. Children's PAA strategies were significantly associated with risks, emotion regulation and understanding, and symptoms. Children using highly coercive strategies showed the greatest difficulties. Emotion regulation and understanding also were associated with parent- and teacher-report of symptoms. These findings suggest that intervention efforts with at-risk youngsters should target not only attachment security, but also emotional competence skills.