ABSTRACT
Resilience and emotion regulation are crucial for optimal psychosocial functioning in children. This study assessed whether a group-based intervention, the Resilience Builder Program (RBP), improved student report of emotion regulation when administered in elementary schools. Sixty-seven students aged 9–12 years (M = 10.50, SD =.74; 82.1% male, 98.5% ethnic/racial minority) were randomly assigned to receive the RBP intervention immediately or following a semester delay. Participants reported their emotional control using the How I Feel scale. Students who received the RBP reported a significant increase in their emotional control and a significant decrease in negative emotion compared to those students in the delayed treatment sample who had not yet received the intervention. Further, students indicated a strongly positive perception of the therapy.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors thank the families who participated in this study, and the school counselors, psychologists, teachers, and administrators who provided invaluable assistance.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Brendan A. Rich
Brendan A. Rich is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the Catholic University of America. Nina D. Shiffrin is a Licensed Psychologist at Alvord, Baker & Associates, LLC. Colleen M. Cummings is a Licensed Psychologist at Alvord, Baker & Associates, LLC. Melissa M. Zarger is a Clinical Research Coordinator at Alvord, Baker & Associates, LLC. Lisa Berghorst is a Licensed Psychologist at Alvord, Baker & Associates, LLC and Cognitive Behavioral Growth, LLC. Mary K. Alvord is a Licensed Psychologist at Alvord, Baker & Associates, LLC.