Emotional Intelligence Strategy to Strengthen Citizenship Competencies

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop a pedagogical intervention based on Mayer and Salovey's (1997) theory of emotional intelligence. This intervention aims to strengthen the civic competencies of a fourth-grade student diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), promoting his inclusion, active participation, and comprehensive development in the school context. This research was conducted at the Colegio Cristiano Amigos de Jesús, located in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, and is framed within a qualitative approach using a case study design.

The pedagogical proposal was developed based on the student's initial diagnosis through instruments such as semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and the Ice Barón inventory. Subsequently, seven adapted didactic interventions were implemented that integrated emotional skills and components of the civic competencies proposed by the Ministry of National Education (2004), such as emotional self-regulation, empathy, democratic participation, and respect for differences.

The results showed significant improvements in various emotional inventory scales, especially in stress management, adaptability, emotional expression, and interpersonal relationships. These transformations demonstrate the effectiveness of emotional intelligence as a teaching tool for promoting the inclusion and comprehensive development of students with ASD in school settings. The study concludes that the integration of emotional intelligence and citizenship competencies allows for the promotion of more equitable, participatory, and emotionally aware education.