Promoting emotional health among children

INTERVENTION: The quasi‐experimental intervention is designed to build resilience and equip children with the skills and strategies to use social comparisons in a positive and balanced way. The intervention will involve training children to appreciate individual differences and identify strengths in themselves and others. Children will also receive training in cognitive and behavioural strategies to lessen the impact of any negative comparisons, challenge negative beliefs about the self, and ensure they do not rely solely on the use of social comparisons to develop their self‐esteem. The intervention will be adminstered to children in groups of 20 to 25 by a trained facilitator. There will be one hour weekly session for a total of 8 weeks. CONDITION: Anxiety in children Depression in children PRIMARY OUTCOME: Depressive symptoms will be assessed using a validated self‐report measure: the Children's Depression Inventory SECONDARY OUTCOME: Anxiety symptoms will be assessed using a validated self‐report measure: Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale Self‐concepts will be assessed using a validated self‐report measure: Self‐Description Questionnaire INCLUSION CRITERIA: All children from participating schools in grade 3 and 4 who have parental consent