Impact of Emotional Education programs in the development of emotional competence in secondary students: A scoping review

Abstract

In an educational context increasingly affected by psychosocial challenges, emotional competencies are recognized as essential for student well-being, social interaction, and holistic development. These include abilities such as recognizing, expressing, and regulating emotions and empathy, which are key elements for building healthy relationships and managing conflict. Despite their importance, low emotional competencies have been reported in secondary students. This scoping review examines the impact of emotional education programs on secondary students. The PRISMA Scoping method was used with the Web Of Science, Scopus, and Scielo databases. Out of 23 studies identified, five met the inclusion criteria. Findings indicate significant improvements in emotional awareness and regulation, interpersonal skills, and emotional understanding following school-based interventions. While results support the effectiveness of these programs, methodological limitations and limited systematization in Ibero-American contexts were observed, underscoring the need for more culturally grounded and pedagogically informed approaches to emotional education in secondary education settings.