Page 227 - Demo

225Social-emotional competence is the ability to interact with others, regulate one%u2019s own emotions and behavior, solve problems, and communicate effectively. These are skills that it benefi ts a person to learn early in life in order that all of their relationships are more effective and fulfi lling. More successful and fulfi lling relationships foster increased self-confi dence and self-esteem. This study found that the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique accelerated the natural development of social-emotional skills in sixth graders. The study was undertaken because of a growing body of research showing that the widely implemented Quiet Time program, which includes TM, improves positive emotional and behavioral coping skills, resilience, and self-actualization. Both teacher ratings of social-emotional competencies and student self-reported psychological symptoms of distress and other emotional symptoms improved in the TM group compared to controls after four months of TM practice. (Reference 1)Other studies on social behavior found:%u2022 Improved work relations in executives and workers (Reference 2)%u2022 Improved behavior in inner-city children after four months (Reference 3)%u2022 Decreased dropout rate and increased graduation rate in inner-city high school students (Reference 4)%u2022 Decreased hostility in Folsom maximum-security prisoners (Reference 5)BETTER EMOTIONAL & COPING SKILLSIncreased Social-Emotional Competencies in SixthGrade Students: A Matched Controlled StudyControlTeacher Rating Scale: Total CompetenciesDevereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA)5.002.500-2.50-5.00p < .001TMtm-037Reference 1: Education, 2019; 139(3); 111%u2013119. Reference 2: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 2003; 1(1), 10.Reference 3: Education, 2013; 133(4), 495%u2013501. Reference 4: Anxiety, Stress and Coping: An International Journal, 1993; 6, 245%u2013262. Reference 5: Criminal Justice and Behavior, 1971; 6(1), 13%u201321.