Effectiveness of Prosocial Thinking Program in Educational Environments to develop the social competence of adolescents at risk of social maladjustment

Abstract

Social maladjustment in adolescence is a risk factor for personal and social adjustment in adulthood. Certain socio-cognitive skills included in social competence prevent the risk of social maladjustment and promote the optimal development of the adolescent. The school is the ideal place to develop cognitive, social and emotional skills that promote social competence. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of  Prosocial Thinking Program in Educational Environments (PPSEE) to develop the social competence of teenagers in the school context, namely: communication skills, emotional self-control, problem solving skills, social skills and values. Participants were 30 students between 12 and 15 years enrolled from 1st to 2rd grade of secondary education. The results showed that students who participated in the program improved their self-control, their ability to solve interpersonal problems and their prosocial values reaching levels similar to those of the control group after the intervention. We conclude that PPSEE is a useful program to promote social competence of high school students at risk of maladjustment.