The Emotional Competence Assessment Questionnaire (ECAQ) for Children Aged from 3 to 5 Years: Validity and Reliability Evidence

A systematic review of self-regulation measures in children: Exploring characteristics and psychometric properties

Self-regulation, which encompasses cognitive, behavioural, and emotional domains, poses challenges in consistent measurement due to diverse definitions and conceptual complexities. In recognition of its profound impact on long-term mental health and wellbeing in children, this systematic review examined available self-regulation measures for children and young people between 1 and 18 years of age. The systematic review followed the COSMIN taxonomy and reported on the measurement tools' characteristics and psychometric properties. The methodology and reporting were guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and checklist. The protocol for this review was registered with PROSPERO (Number CRD42020155809). A search of six databases (Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, CINAHL and ERIC) was performed, and grey literature was searched to identify studies on the psychometric properties of measures assessing all three domains (cognitive, behavioural, and emotional) of self-regulation. The types of psychometric properties were examined against the COSMIN taxonomy of measurement properties. A total of 15,583 studies were identified, and 48 of these met the criteria that reported psychometric properties of 23 self-regulation measures assessing all three domains of self-regulation. Most measures relied on self-reports for ages 11-17, and all had limited psychometric evaluation. The Emotion Regulation Checklist was the most studied measure. Notably, none of the studies evaluated measurement error. The content validity was inadequately evaluated, particularly in terms of comprehensiveness and comprehensibility. Future research should focus on developing measures for young children, evaluating measurement error, and enhancing content validity for comprehensive understanding and effective intervention.

Effectiveness of a universal preschool-based program for emotional education in 3- to 5-year-old children with autism spectrum conditions

LAY ABSTRACT

There are numerous programs and interventions to improve social and emotional skills that expressly target children with autism spectrum conditions. However, there is less knowledge about the impact of universal (directed to all children) school programs of emotional education specifically on these children. In this context, the aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of the "1,2,3,emoció!" universal school program on them. The results show that children with autism spectrum conditions participating in the program improved their emotional competence more than the ones who did not participate. Therefore, we conclude that the "1,2,3,emoció!" universal program is effective in children with autism spectrum conditions. This promising outcome gives the opportunity to these children to benefit from group learning in an inclusive school setting, by complementing individual interventions with a universal program.

Effectiveness of a preschool emotional education programme administered over 3 grades: a cluster randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Emotional education programmes are universal preventive strategies for health promotion, especially mental health. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of '1,2,3, emoció!': a preschool-based programme designed to improve emotional competence and targeted to 3-5-year-old children in Barcelona during three academic years.

STUDY DESIGN

Cluster randomised trial, using schools as clusters.

METHODS

The study's population included preschoolers 3-5 years old from Barcelona. Teachers offered the programme during one or three academic years in the intervention groups. We evaluated the emotional competence of each child at the beginning and the end of the academic year with the Emotional Competence Assessment Questionnaire (30-180 scale). We studied the implementation process and analysed the outcomes with nested linear regression models. Considering sociodemographic variables and implementation outcomes, we obtained the individual differences in emotional competence at the end of the school year-segregated by sex-for intervention and comparison groups.

RESULTS

1586 children participated in the study. The emotional competence level increased significantly after one year (4.1 in boys; 5.6 in girls; P < 0.05) and after three years of intervention (5.5 in boys; 8.0 in girls; P < 0.01), compared to comparison group. The level of emotional competence was the highest for the 3-year intervention group: we obtained an average ECAQ score of 131.1 (95% CI 126.9-135.2) for boys and 141 (95% CI 137.2-144.9) for girls. We observed that an accurate implementation improved its results.

CONCLUSIONS

The programme '1,2,3, emoció!' effectively increases preschool children's emotional competence, especially when the programme is rigorously implemented for three years.

[Strategy for the promotion of equitable and healthy relationships in educational centers in Barcelona]

The educational system is one of the most powerful agents of socialization; it can contribute to perpetuate the gender system and tolerance towards violence or on the contrary, to reduce violence by promoting more equitable and healthy relationship models. The Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona set out to design a strategy to prevent violence by promoting equitable and healthy relationships at different educational levels in schools in the city of Barcelona. The objective of this article is to present the process of developing this strategy. They characteristics are: (1) use of a participatory approach to ensure the quality and coherence of the process; (2) creation of a theoretical framework for the strategy; (3) use of the intervention mapping methodology as a strategy for the diagnosis, planning, design, development and evaluation of interventions to promote equitable and healthy relationships; and (4) adaptation or design and evaluation of different programs to incorporate different educational stages. It is argued that the strategy designed is considered adequate because it plans interventions to promote equitable and healthy relationships framed within a global educational strategy that starts in the early stages of early childhood education and is continued in all compulsory educational stages. This strategy is based on a conceptual framework that takes into account the determinants and social inequalities in health and promotes an approach based on the promotion of health assets and the use of participatory methodologies.

Effectiveness of school-based emotional education program: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

The acquisition of emotional competencies through emotional education programs improves both short- and long-term health outcomes. The 1,2,3,emoció! program directed at children aged 3-5 years aims to promote health through the development of emotional competencies. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the program during its first year of implementation.

STUDY DESIGN

Cluster randomized trial.

METHODS

The information sources were an ad-hoc questionnaire to evaluate emotional competencies and focus group discussions with the teachers implementing the program. For the quantitative data analysis, we compared mean emotional competencies scores pre- and postintervention for the intervention group and the comparison group. We also conducted a multilevel regression with repeated measures, adjusted by sociodemographic variables and stratified by gender and school year. For the qualitative data, we performed a thematic content analysis.

RESULTS

The sample consisted of 2625 children (48.4% girls and 49.2% intervention group). Emotional competencies improved in both groups after the school year (P-value < 0.001), but the increase was greater in the intervention group. The multilevel analysis showed an improvement in the final scores attributed to the intervention, especially for those in the first year of preschool [boys: 12.33 points (95% CI 5.51-19.15), girls: 9.66 points (95% CI 3.36-15.96)]. The thematic content analysis also highlighted enhanced emotional competencies in the intervention group. The final scores did not vary by sociodemographic variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The 1,2,3,emoció! program had a positive effect on emotional competencies among children, with effectivity being higher among younger children.