The Me and the Us of Emotions: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program for children
There are well-established benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs for children within educational contexts. Combining social–emotional skills and compassion abilities has been seldomly done, and it may be valuable at individual and societal levels, for resilient, empathetic, and in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1196457/full |
| _version_ | 1797643247143616512 |
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| author | Ana Xavier Ana Xavier Paula Vagos Paula Vagos Lara Palmeira Lara Palmeira Paulo Menezes Bruno Patrão Sofia Abreu Mendes Marta Tavares |
| author_facet | Ana Xavier Ana Xavier Paula Vagos Paula Vagos Lara Palmeira Lara Palmeira Paulo Menezes Bruno Patrão Sofia Abreu Mendes Marta Tavares |
| author_sort | Ana Xavier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There are well-established benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs for children within educational contexts. Combining social–emotional skills and compassion abilities has been seldomly done, and it may be valuable at individual and societal levels, for resilient, empathetic, and inclusive societies. This study explored the feasibility and efficacy of a program designed to promote socioemotional and compassion skills in children attending the 3rd and 4th grades, by using in-class dynamics complemented with serious games. This program, named “The Me and the Us of Emotions,” is part of the Gulbenkian Knowledge Academies 2020 and consists of 10 group sessions embedded in the school curriculum. Using a cluster-randomized controlled trial design, school classes were allocated to intervention (classes, n = 8; children, n = 163) and control groups (classes, n = 6; children, n = 132). During the program, facilitators assessed adherence to the sessions’ plan, attendance, dosage (i.e., how many sessions were delivered), and participant responsiveness. Children completed self-report measures of social–emotional skills and emotional climate at pre-, post-intervention, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. Results indicate that the program is feasible, with high adherence, high attendance rate, and participant responsiveness. Results also indicate empathy, soothing, and drive feelings to change from pre-intervention to all other assessment moments, for the intervention group only. Moreover, cooperation and threat changed over time for participants in both the control and the intervention groups. The current study offers empirical support for the feasibility and utility of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program on promoting children’s empathy, and emotions of soothing and vitality in the school context. Thus, these findings contribute to recent research on the potential added value of compassion practices within an SEL program. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T14:11:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2446a555dbc34cada3e1a560fde35fff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T14:11:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-2446a555dbc34cada3e1a560fde35fff2023-11-01T17:36:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-11-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11964571196457The Me and the Us of Emotions: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program for childrenAna Xavier0Ana Xavier1Paula Vagos2Paula Vagos3Lara Palmeira4Lara Palmeira5Paulo Menezes6Bruno Patrão7Sofia Abreu Mendes8Marta Tavares9Department of Psychology and Education, Portucalense University, Porto, PortugalCenter for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PortugalCenter for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PortugalWilliam James Research Center, Departamento de Educação e Psicologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Psychology and Education, Portucalense University, Porto, PortugalCenter for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PortugalInstitute of Systems and Robotics (ISR), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PortugalInstitute of Systems and Robotics (ISR), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PortugalCentro de Investigação em Psicologia para o Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação, Universidade Lusíada Porto, Porto, PortugalAgrupamento de Escolas de Valadares, Vila Nova de Gaia, PortugalThere are well-established benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs for children within educational contexts. Combining social–emotional skills and compassion abilities has been seldomly done, and it may be valuable at individual and societal levels, for resilient, empathetic, and inclusive societies. This study explored the feasibility and efficacy of a program designed to promote socioemotional and compassion skills in children attending the 3rd and 4th grades, by using in-class dynamics complemented with serious games. This program, named “The Me and the Us of Emotions,” is part of the Gulbenkian Knowledge Academies 2020 and consists of 10 group sessions embedded in the school curriculum. Using a cluster-randomized controlled trial design, school classes were allocated to intervention (classes, n = 8; children, n = 163) and control groups (classes, n = 6; children, n = 132). During the program, facilitators assessed adherence to the sessions’ plan, attendance, dosage (i.e., how many sessions were delivered), and participant responsiveness. Children completed self-report measures of social–emotional skills and emotional climate at pre-, post-intervention, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. Results indicate that the program is feasible, with high adherence, high attendance rate, and participant responsiveness. Results also indicate empathy, soothing, and drive feelings to change from pre-intervention to all other assessment moments, for the intervention group only. Moreover, cooperation and threat changed over time for participants in both the control and the intervention groups. The current study offers empirical support for the feasibility and utility of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program on promoting children’s empathy, and emotions of soothing and vitality in the school context. Thus, these findings contribute to recent research on the potential added value of compassion practices within an SEL program.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1196457/fullsocial–emotional skillscompassionclinical trialchildrenschool setting |
| spellingShingle | Ana Xavier Ana Xavier Paula Vagos Paula Vagos Lara Palmeira Lara Palmeira Paulo Menezes Bruno Patrão Sofia Abreu Mendes Marta Tavares The Me and the Us of Emotions: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program for children Frontiers in Psychology social–emotional skills compassion clinical trial children school setting |
| title | The Me and the Us of Emotions: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program for children |
| title_full | The Me and the Us of Emotions: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program for children |
| title_fullStr | The Me and the Us of Emotions: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program for children |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Me and the Us of Emotions: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program for children |
| title_short | The Me and the Us of Emotions: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion-based social–emotional learning program for children |
| title_sort | me and the us of emotions a cluster randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion based social emotional learning program for children |
| topic | social–emotional skills compassion clinical trial children school setting |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1196457/full |
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