Studying Emotional Competence with Students Attending Primary and Secondary Schools
Ilaria Lupo, Renzo Tucci, Mario Di Pietro
Children with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) tend to have a more negative self-concept, feel less emotionally supported, can experience a higher level of anxiety and have a greater risk of developing emotional problems (Elksnin & Elksnin, 2004). Emotional competence is therefore a central construct for children’s harmonic development. The Emotional-Behavioral Questionnaire (QUEM), a modified version of Knaus’ Child’s Survey of Rational Belief (1974), is a self-report questionnaire consisting of 20 items concerning emotionally pregnant situations. Each item provides multiple answers consisting of three statements indicating different possibilities of action or thought. The study aims to explore the possibilities of using QUEM in a clinical setting with students attending primary and secondary schools, in particular with students who have a diagnosis of SLD. For this purpose, 36 students with SLD were recruited and were compared with about 400 students residing in two different Italian regions (Veneto and Sicily).
Keywords
Special Educational Needs, Specific Learning Disability, Emotional competence, Emotional disorders, Rational emotive education.