Socioemotional Competencies in People with Down Syndrome

Abstract

People with Down syndrome often struggle to achieve socio-emotional skills, facts that directly affect their self-esteem and everyday decision-making, impacting negatively their personal and social development. Teaching socioemotional competencies is a way to deal with such effects, however, educational alternatives adapted and directed to this population are limited. This paper analyzes the characteristics and contributions of some programs focused on emotional education and emotional intelligence promotion for the Down syndrome population. Our results suggest that such programs have beneficial effects on the population studied. Nevertheless, it is necessary to continue strengthening the research and application of those programs and the construction of standardized instruments to measure their effects. Inclusion and overall development of people with Down syndrome will be reinforced by the consolidation of socio-emotional competencies programs.