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Prevention of Emotional Problems in Spanish Schoolchildren: Effectiveness of the Super Skills Multimedia Program to Promote Social-Emotional Skills

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 September 2024

Mireia Orgilés Open the ORCID record for Mireia Orgilés [Opens in a new window] ,
Jose P. Espada Open the ORCID record for Jose P. Espada [Opens in a new window]  and
Alexandra Morales Open the ORCID record for Alexandra Morales [Opens in a new window]
Mireia Orgilés
Affiliation:
Universidad Miguel Hernández (Spain)
Jose P. Espada*
Affiliation:
Universidad Miguel Hernández (Spain)
Alexandra Morales
Affiliation:
Universidad Miguel Hernández (Spain)
*
Corresponding author: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to José P. Espada. Universidad Miguel Hernández. Centro de Investigación de la Infancia y la Adolescencia. Grupo de Investigación Análisis Intervención y Terapia Aplicada con Niños y Adolescentes (AITANA). Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, Elche. 03202 Alicante (Spain). E-mail: jpespada@umh.es
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Abstract

Compared to traditional psychosocial interventions, the transdiagnostic approach focuses on common processes or factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of emotional problems. In Spain, the Super Skills Program has proven its effectiveness, but issues with displacement or scheduling for families can hinder access to the intervention. This study aims to examine the program’s effectiveness in preventing children’s psychosocial problems through learning socio-emotional skills when self-administered via the Internet. Participants were 283 Spanish children between the ages of 8 and 12. The children and their parents completed anxiety and depression scales before and after receiving the intervention and 12 months later. The program consisted of 8 self-applied sessions, at a rate of two per week, which included emotional education, cognitive restructuring, self-regulation techniques, training in social skills, problem-solving, and video feedback with cognitive preparation. Significant differences in anxiety and depression symptoms were found after the intervention. A significant reduction in anxiety scores and a marginally significant decrease in depression scores was observed at the long-term follow-up. The “intention to treat” analysis revealed a tendency for children who improved to drop out of the program, completing the intervention children with more symptomathology. Learning socio-emotional skills through a self-applied intervention via the Internet effectively reduced emotional symptoms in school children and is a valuable resource to improve child well-being and prevent future psychological problems.

Keywords

anxietychildhooddepressionpreventionself-applied interventionssocioemotional skills

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 27 , 2024 , e21
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de la Psicología de Madrid

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