Emotional Intelligence, resilience and well-being are essential for
success both at school and in wider society.
Studies evaluating the emotional intelligence of children and young
people have shown that when compared with high scores, low scores
were more often associated with deviant behaviours, difficulties at
school, social disaffection and poorer life outcomes.
Research findings further indicate that children and young people
labelled as gifted and talented were not exempt from difficulties
similarly linked to poor emotional health and well-being including
low self esteem, depression, envy, peer conflicts, alienation,
loneliness, bullying and unbearable parent-teacher pressures for
excellence. Failure to meet the high expectations placed upon them
can trigger strong emotions in young people leading to harmful
outcomes.
Some young people transferring from primary to secondary school
experience a dip in academic performance. This period can also be
marked by increased levels of anxiety and depression. However,
young people with higher levels of emotional intelligence are more
likely to cope well with this transition.
A child's emotional health and well-being also depend on how well
they are able to articulate their feelings, for example, in terms
of unhappiness, remorse, outrage, embarrassment, grief, fear,
frustration, sickness or disillusionment. Adequate expression can
act as a pressure valve without which, children and young people
can become overwhelmed by strong feelings and emotions with
disastrous consequences. Amygdala GeniusTM also increases a young
person's emotional and feelings word vocabulary.
By enhancing emotional awareness, promoting emotional resilience, and providing a simple strategy for handling challenging emotions and feelings, Amygdala GeniusTM creates learning opportunities where the negative effects of upsetting circumstances and challenging emotions can be ameliorated.
