Peer-reviewed article
Evaluating the outcomes of "Resilient left-behind children" – A social-emotional learning and mindfulness group counseling program
Laura Tripa, Florin Alin Sava, Ramona Paloș, Silvia Măgurean, Irina Macsinga ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study evaluated a school-based counseling program in Romania designed to support children whose parents have migrated for work. The program combined social-emotional learning and mindfulness techniques to build resilience and self-regulation skills. The study involved 62 children aged 12-15 in a quasi-randomized trial comparing an intervention group with a control group. Children in the program reported improvements in self-regulation, resilience, and reduced loneliness, while teachers observed fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Key points
- The intervention group showed improved self-regulation and resilience compared to controls
- Children reported reduced loneliness and social dissatisfaction after the program
- Teachers observed significantly fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties in intervention group children
- The program integrated social-emotional learning curricula with mindfulness techniques
- Left-behind children in Romania are an identified population requiring school-based support
Limitations
The study does not report long-term follow-up outcomes or specify the duration of the program. The sample size is modest and the study is limited to Romania, so findings may not generalize to other contexts with different migration patterns or support systems.
Abstract
International migration has a powerful impact on both the sending and receiving countries, especially for adults migrating for better working conditions and leaving family members, including children, behind. Increasing numbers of left-behind children in Romania (Save the Children Romania, 2019) require attention and support through specific policies and school-based programs. The purpose of this empirical study is to develop and assess a school-based prevention/intervention group counseling program for left-behind children. The program is based on previous social-emotional learning curricula and it incorporates mindfulness technics (Sibinga, Webb, Ghazarian, & Ellen, 2016). It is designed to increase resilience and self-regulatory abilities in children, thus improving their school adjustment in terms of emotional, social, behavioral and attitudinal outcomes. Using a sample of 62 children, aged 12-15 (M = 12.71, SD = .868), we conducted a quasi-randomized trial with a control and an intervention group to investigate the efficacy of the program. Children in the intervention group reported improved self-regulation and resilience and reduced loneliness and social dissatisfaction. Teachers reported significantly fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties for the children following the intervention. This study emphasizes the role of the evidence-based approach to counseling services in schools, by capitalizing on the latest findings in the field and addressing the specific needs of left-behind children.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- School-based group counseling program incorporating social-emotional learning curricula and mindfulness techniques to increase resilience and self-regulatory abilities
- Population
- 62 children aged 12-15 (M = 12.71, SD = 0.868) in Romania
Key finding
Children in intervention group reported improved self-regulation