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Authors:Jose Pedro Espada Sanchez, Marina Serrano-Ortiz, Mireia Orgilés (Miguel Hernandez University)
Background: Early intervention in emotional development is essential for preventing mental health issues. This study evaluates the impact of a socio-emotional skills enhancement program on behavioural inhibition in children aged 4 to 6 years.
Methods: Parents of 219 children completed all three assessment phases: baseline (pretest), post-intervention (posttest), and a six-month follow-up. Behavioural inhibition, a temperament trait linked to anxiety disorders, was assessed using the Behavioural Inhibition Questionnaire (BIQ), a 30-item instrument completed by parents. The intervention consisted of eight classroom-based group sessions in which children learned and practiced skills related to emotional recognition, emotional understanding, prosocial behavior, and effective social interaction.
Results: A significant time effect was found F(2, 219) = 7.986, p < .001, with a moderate effect size (η² = 0.074). Specifically, BIQ scores showed a statistically significant decrease at posttest (p < .05), which was maintained at the six-month follow-up, suggesting sustained benefits of the intervention.
Discussion: Although the observed effect size was small to moderate, the findings suggest that the socio-emotional skills program may effectively reduce behavioural inhibition in young children. These results are consistent with growing evidence that supports early socio-emotional interventions as preventive strategies for emotional disorders. The program shows promise in fostering emotional resilience during early development. Overall, early educational and psychological support remains a key pathway for promoting mental well-being in childhood.
| Conflict of interest | None |
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