This study aimed to investigate the effects of a violence-prevention education program using empathy (VPEP-E) on elementary school students. This quasi-experimental design examined fifth-grade students' (a) empathy level, (b) perception of violence, and (c) permissive and negligent attitudes toward violence, using a pre- and post-test design. A…

Research demonstrates that pupils do not always have the necessary social and emotional intelligence to cope with the transition to secondary school successfully. This paper explores a context-specific intervention designed to enhance key social and emotional skills after a secondary school transition. The intervention was designed with reference…

Background: Summer camp is proposed as a context to enhance prosocial behavior. This context could be used to apply intervention programs, in addition to being a time of fun and conviviality. A camp-based intervention program to increase empathy was administered for adolescents at risk. Purpose: The aim of this study was to apply and evaluate a…

There is a growing interest in understanding how individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience empathy to explore their social-emotional and communication impairments. Although there has been considerable research into autism and cognitive empathy, research into emotional empathy is scarce, and there is less on the impact of teaching…

Reading and conducting research can initially feel daunting for community college students. For this nontraditional aged, first generation student-researcher, the interest in research increased with the availability of TEDx Talks. The overall intent of the study was to evaluate the empathetic reactivity of students (n = 78) while viewing a…

Teacher stress is evident in many developed countries; however, teacher stress is also evident in many low-income sub-Saharan countries such as Uganda where teachers face additional challenges compared to their North American/European counterpart. The goal of this study was to pilot test a mindfulness and yoga self-care workshop designed for…

To be effective, teachers need to have empathic relationships with students based on respect, caring, and an overall understanding that relationships in schools are vital to a positive learning community (Cooper, 2003; Jennings & Greenberg, 2009; Ray, Lambie, & Curry, 2007). However, teacher stress may lead to negative consequences that…

This research was designed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a social and emotional learning (SEL) mindfulness-based school program (MindUp) for children in post-conflict Northern Uganda. In study one, we culturally adapted and implemented MindUp with 5th and 6th graders. Over a two-year period, significant decreases in children's…

Scholars have described compassion fatigue as the result of chronic exposure to clients' suffering and traumatic stories. Counselors can struggle when they experience compassion fatigue because of various reasons. As such, an exploration of factors predictive of compassion fatigue may help counselors and supervisors buffer adverse effects.…

Focus on social and emotional intelligence competencies to improve effective leadership has become commonplace in the corporate arena and is now considered by many a prerequisite to successful job performance and outcomes (Antonakis, Ashkanasy, & Dasborough, 2009; Grant, Curtayne, & Burton, 2009; Spence & Grant, 2007; Kampa-Kokesch…

The present study examined the effectiveness of interpersonal group therapy designed to improve self-esteem and social functioning in college students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Participants with documented ADHD diagnoses completed self-report measures of self-esteem and social functioning at the initiation of the study,…

This study used the Solomon 4-group design to examine the relationship between a mindfulness experiential small group (MESG) and mindfulness skills, empathy, counseling self-efficacy, and perceived stress for counselors in training (CITs). Understanding how the MESG affects these characteristics provides essential information to inform the…

Human rights education is advanced as a method for promoting social responsibility, with an emphasis on promoting ideals of "global citizenship" among undergraduate students. At the same time, the practice of learning communities is widespread on college campuses for retaining freshmen and promoting student success. However, there is…

As the field of positive youth development (PYD) emerges internationally, models of PYD designed for use in the US must be extended to diverse contexts. For instance, a robust body of evidence supports Lerner and colleagues' Five Cs Model of PYD in the US, but it remains unclear whether the Five Cs Model can validly capture positive development in…

Being a youth mentor is popular among college students, yet little is known about how their initial characteristics are related to mentoring satisfaction. Survey data from college women enrolled in a youth mentoring program (n = 158) and a comparison group (n = 136) were analyzed to determine how initial characteristics of youth mentors (a) differ…