Antisocial Behavior, Emotions, Facial Emotion Recognition, Intelligence, Nonverbal Communication
Conditions
Keywords
Emotion Recognition Ability, Prosocial Behavior, Nonverbal Intelligence, Primary School Children
Brief summary
The goal of this quasi-experimental study is to investigate whether enhancing emotion recognition abilities can improve social behavior in primary school children. The study focused on children aged approximately 6 to 9 years (both sexes), attending elementary school, without neurological or psychiatric diagnoses. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is there an inverse relationship between children's ability to recognize nonverbal emotional cues and antisocial behavior, as assessed by teachers? Does nonverbal intelligence (measured through Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices) significantly predict emotion recognition ability (ERA)? Researchers compared a group of children who received the intervention (experimental group) with a control group that did not, to see whether improvements in ERA relate to higher prosocial behavior and fewer behavioral difficulties. Participants were asked to: Complete the DANVA-2-RV, a standardized tool to assess nonverbal emotion recognition, updated and validated on the study sample; Complete Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices, to measure nonverbal IQ; Have their behavior assessed via the SDQ - Teacher Version, filled out by their classroom teachers. A total of 140 children from four schools were enrolled. Participants were assigned non-randomly to an experimental or control group. Six teachers were involved in the behavioral assessments. The study is concluded. Expected outcomes include: A negative correlation between prosocial behavior and emotional confusion; A weak or non-significant relationship between nonverbal intelligence and emotion recognition ability.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALEmotion Recognition Training Program: A structured school-based intervention designed to enhance children's ability to recognize emotions through facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language.
Emotion Recognition Training Program Integrated CASEL-based activities with CBT principles and digital tools to enhance emotional attribution and recognition in primary school children. The intervention consisted of three structured activities based on the CASEL framework (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning), integrated with cognitive-behavioral principles inspired by the model of Albert Ellis. Sessions included interactive use of digital whiteboards and narrative tools (e.g., emotion-themed interactive stories), aimed at improving children's ability to attribute emotions to others and to emotionally evaluate events. In addition, a neurostimulative component was included, exposing children to visual stimuli with either neutral or fear-inducing emotional valence. Participants were asked to rate the perceived emotional intensity, supporting the development of self-regulation and emotional differentiation.
BEHAVIORALNo Intervention: Observational Cohort
Control group received no intervention in order to serve as a baseline for comparison, isolating the effects of the emotion recognition training on behavioral and cognitive outcomes.
Sponsors
University of Foggia
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
4 Years to 5 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Children enrolled in primary school (ages 6-9) * Parental/guardian informed consent obtained * Teacher agreement to complete SDQ - Teacher Version * Availability for participation in both pre- and post-assessment sessions * No diagnosed cognitive, psychiatric, or neurological disorders
Exclusion criteria
* Documented diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., ASD, ADHD, intellectual disability) * Severe visual, auditory, or motor impairments affecting test participation * Incomplete parental consent or teacher refusal to collaborate * Absence from school during key phases of assessment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Emotion Recognition Accuracy Between Groups | Pre-test at Month 0, Intervention begins at Month 6, Post-test at 3 months after intervention (Month 9) | Measured using the DANVA-2-RV. Emotion recognition accuracy scores (correct identification of basic emotions) will be compared between the intervention and control groups. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-Sectional Observation of Behavioral Profiles | Single time point at study entry (Month 0). | Observation of behavioral difficulties and prosocial behaviors (via SDQ - Teacher Version). |
| Cross-Sectional Observation of Cognitive Profiles | Single time point at study entry (Month 0). | Observation of nonverbal intelligence (via Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices). |
Countries
Italy
Outcome results
None listed