A Socio-affective, Developmentally Informed Perspective for Contemplative Practices in Adolescence: Towards Resilient Communities

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe socio-emotional developmental psychological abilities such as self-regulation, mentalization, and empathy in childhood and adolescence and examine how contemplative practice may foster and enhance such capacities, contributing to building personal and social resilience. Development is understood as the result of biological (genetic) and environmental (cultural, social, interpersonal factors) interactions. The main notion at stake is the plasticity of people’s socio-emotional capacities throughout developmental stages, from childhood to adolescence. In other words, from a dynamic systems approach, development is a state of flux led by multicausal interactions between the physical, environmental, and psychosocial domains. Such a complex process results in the emergence of variability regarding psychological and biological skills (e.g. self-regulation);within this context, other mental facets including the sense of self and personality develop as well (Smith and Thelen in Trends Cogn Sci 7(8):343-348, 2003). We describe the adolescent mind along with the psychological challenges and neurological developmental specificities of young people, speculating that contemplative practices, among other interventions, may lay the groundwork for self and social resilience by targeting specific psychological needs in connection with socio-emotional development. Furthermore, we refer to early parenting, psychotherapy, and educational interventions as social prevention strategies which open up new opportunities for family and children in this particularly sensitive context. Finally, we share some views and suggestions for future research regarding the integration of contemplative practices from an individual to a communal level.