The Development of Emotional Competence [Paperback]

Synthesizing the latest research and theory with compelling narratives and case vignettes, this book explores the development of emotional competence in school-age children and young adolescents. Saarni examines the formation of eight key emotional skills in relation to processes of self-understanding, socialization, and cognitive growth. The cultural and gender context of emotional experience is emphasized, and the role of moral disposition and other individual differences is considered. Tracing the connections between emotional competence, interpersonal relationships, and resilience in the face of stress, the book also explores why and what happens when development is delayed.

Drawing on the latest research and an abundance of case material, Carolyn Saarni vividly explores the range of skills that lead to emotional competence--awareness of self and others, sensitivity to masked as well as expressed emotion, the ability to put feelings into words, and strategies for coping with adversity. She eloquently situates that competence in its wider social, cultural, and moral context. Anyone who wants to nurture or understand the development of emotional competence should read this book. --Paul L. Harris, PhD, Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford

The Development of Emotional Competenceadvances our understanding of the rich tapestry of human emotion, and of the skills that emerge as we learn to live with its influence in daily life. It is a valuable resource to students as well as professionals in psychology, counseling, social work, and education. As a developmentalist, clinician, parent, and astute observer of human emotion, Carolyn Saarni has presented a complex and essential feature of human experience in a comprehensible and compelling manner. --From the Foreword by Ross A. Thompson, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska

The best treatment of emotional competence in the literature.l3%