Improving Emotional Regulation Skills of Children in Difficulty in Shenzhen

1. Context of study The target population of this study is children in difficulty, which is defined as children who come from one of the following three groups: (1) single-parent families, (2) low-income families, and (3) left-behind children. Children in difficulty are constantly exposed to multiple sources of stress, including parental psychological neglect, unstable family life, limited school-based social activities, and stereotypes. These factors can bring emotional fluctuations in children. If they are not handled properly, it may lead to bullying, family conflicts, and even suicide. 2. Target of emotional regulation There are still challenges and deficiencies in the coverage, quality, and synergy of emotional assistance services for children in need. This study helps children acquire emotional concepts and management skills and offers an evidence-based intervention framework for service providers. 3. Cultural and contextual considerations in the intervention feature The current research revised the intervention manual, which was developed in the context of Hong Kong to adapt to mainland China. 4. Procedure The researchers aim to recruit 200 children in difficulty to participate in the study. The age range of the participants is between 8 and 14. The participants will be randomly assigned to an experimental or wait-list control group with a 3:2 ratio. Each participant will attend four intervention sessions. Each session requires around 1.5 to 2 hours to complete. The pre-test, post-test, and follow-up survey each requires around 30 minutes to complete. The surveys are conducted to assess the effectiveness of the emotional management intervention on children's emotional management skills and its correlation with mental health and family functioning among the participants.