Effectiveness of Group vs. Individual Therapy to Decrease Peer Problems and Increase Prosociality in Children

Silvia Melero, Alexandra Morales, José P Espada, Xavier Méndez, Mireia Orgilés, Silvia Melero, Alexandra Morales, José P Espada, Xavier Méndez, Mireia Orgilés

Abstract

Emotional difficulties in children are often shown to be associated with peer problems and low prosocial behaviors. Super Skills for Life (SSL) is a transdiagnostic protocol for the prevention of emotional problems in children and has also obtained improvements of other comorbid symptoms. This study aimed at comparing the effects of SSL in reducing peer problems and increasing prosocial behaviors in children aged 8 to 12 years between the group and the individual modalities. For this purpose, 140 children (35% girls) received the program, 70 in group format and 70 in individual format, and were evaluated at the baseline, posttest, and after one year. Both modalities were effective in enhancing social relationships in children, although the individual modality showed more promising results. Children belonging to the individual modality group presented fewer peer problems (less social isolation and rejection, greater social acceptance, more friends) and greater prosocial behaviors (helping, empathy, kindness, and sharing) compared to children receiving the therapy in group modality, both in the short and in the long term. In conclusion, this study provides evidence of SSL protocol efficacy for improving children's peer relationships and prosocial behaviors and encourages the implementation of transdiagnostic interventions in both clinical and educational settings.

Keywords: Super Skills for Life; children; peer problems; prosocial behavior; transdiagnostic.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Progress of children participating in the trial. GM = Group Modality; IM = Intervention Modality.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Estimated marginal means of the peer problems score between pretest, posttest, and 12-months follow-up by therapy condition.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Estimated marginal means of the prosocial behavior score between pretest, posttest, and 12-months follow-up by therapy condition.

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