Measurements to Assess and Programmes to Promote Socio-Emotional Competences in Children With Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Socio-emotional Competences (SEC) in children with Intellectual Disability (ID) are essential to their personal, social and academic success. It is important to identify measurements that have been effective in assessing SEC in children with ID, as well as programmes that have proven successful with this population. This theoretical perspective on the state of the art of measurements to assess and promote SEC led us to a wide range of instruments, although only a few have been used with children with ID. The Test of Emotion Comprehension (Pons, Harris, & Doudin, 2002) seems to be the most suitable to use with these children, presenting several advantages including a Portuguese version, its use with the population with ID, its user-friendliness and appealing material. Regarding intervention programmes, there is evidence of the use of some with this population, showing relevant outcomes. Nevertheless, all these programmes provide us a solid basis for allowing a construction and validation of a new one in order to overcome some gaps in the promotion of SEC in children with ID.