Implementation of the Social Decision-Making Skills Curriculum on primary students (Grades 1-3) in Lebanon

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of the Social Decision-Making Skills Curriculum (SDSC) on the emotional intelligence and the prosocial behaviors of primary students in Grades 1-3, in a private school in Lebanon. Students were trained in social problem-solving and social decision-making skills through the implementation of the SDSC. Participants were 80 students (29 students, experimental group; 51 controls). The SDSC was implemented in classrooms to students in the experimental group. A rating scale from this curriculum was used to determine the students' profile in social decision-making and social-problem-solving skills. Subjects' 'emotional intelligence' was assessed using the Bar-On Emotional Inventory: Youth Version. Following nine weeks of training in the SDSC, ANCOVA results showed that there were significant differences in the emotional intelligence and prosocial skills of children in the experimental group, as compared to those in the control group. Results are discussed and implications and future recommendations presented © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.