Deacon, ElmariVan Rensburg, Esmé2014-10-282014-10-282012Deacon, E. & Van Rensburg, E. 2012. Enhancing emotional and social competence in a group of South-African school beginners: a preliminary study. Journal of psychology in Africa, 22(4):677-680. [http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rpia20#.VD55txaq06A]1433-02371815-5626http://hdl.handle.net/10394/11995This study piloted the efficacy of a short-term intervention program for socio-emotional development in pre-schoolers.in a South African setting. Participants were 48 learners, aged between 5 and 6 years (22 boys, 26 girls). A proportion of the participants (n=26) took the socio-emotional competence development intervention. Programme effects were measured using the Social Competence and Behavioural Evaluation, Preschool Edition (SCBE) and the Griffiths Developmental Scales—Extended Revised (GMDS-ER). Between group comparisons showed significant gains in internalization and social competence skills in favour of the intervention group as compared to the control group.Emotional adjustmentsocial competenceGeneral developmentSchool beginnersArticle