Emotional processing in preteens : the development and evaluation of a school-based program

Abstract

Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) is an evidence-based psychotherapeutic intervention centred around the change of emotional processes. EFT views the emotion system as innately adaptive, focusing on core need fulfilment. Nevertheless, maladaptive emotion schemes may emerge as a result of developmental deficits and, in turn, lead to negative social-emotional outcomes. EFT promotes positive outcomes by facilitating enhanced emotional processing, which lays the potential groundwork for preventive interventions for young populations. The current research consisted of two studies that aimed to understand and enhance emotional processing among preteens. Study 1 was conducted in an international school in Shenzhen, China, and tested the measurement of emotional processing and social-emotional adjustment in a young, non-clinical population. Participants were 71 5th and 6th grade students (ages 10-12). First, all measures of emotional processing were correlated with one other, except for emotional awareness/acceptance and emotional communication. Second, most self-report measures of social-emotional adjustment (namely, general psychological health, emotional difficulties, and empathy/compassion) were correlated with each other. However, there was a lack of correlation between self-report measures of social-emotional adjustment and parent/teacher-reports. Lastly, the children with enhanced emotional processing capacities (i.e., higher levels of emotional expression and emotional communication) exhibited higher levels of general psychological health. Emotional communication was also negatively correlated with measures of emotional difficulty. Study 1 supported the use of chosen measures of emotional processing and social-emotional competence and provided evidence for the link between them. Nevertheless, some limitations were evident since child self-report measures might lack objectivity. In addition, Study 1’s correlational data could not imply causality between emotional processing and social-emotional competence. To overcome these limitations, Study 2 was conducted. Study 2 was a quasi-experimental field experiment employing a waitlist control design and objective measurements. It assessed the effect of an emotion-focused intervention on emotional processing and social-emotional competence in pre-teens. A program was developed within the EFT framework and modelled after the Arrive at Peace program for adults (Greenberg, 2015). The program incorporated psychoeducational content, group sharing, and an ecological momentary intervention via the “FeelingZ” mobile app. The objectives of the program were to enhance the participants’ processing and adjustment in the face of interpersonal difficulty. Participants were 70 students, ages 9-12, studying at an international school in Shenzhen. Self-, parent-, and teacher-reports and coding of structured interviews were used to evaluate participants’ emotional processing and social-emotional adjustment in the pre- and post-test. A significant enhancement was found in the experimental group’s bodily awareness of emotion, emotional congruence, capacity for emotional reflection, emotional communication, and overall emotional processing in the post-test. Additionally, a significant reduction in participants’ reported emotional difficulties was reported post-intervention. The study, therefore, provided preliminary data regarding the potential efficacy of EFT as a framework for preventative intervention in schools.