Immediate and 6-month follow-up effects of the SuperKids program on socio-emotional competencies and well-being in preschool-aged children

Intervention programs based on socio-emotional learning (SEL) have shown potential to reduce socio-emotional difficulties and promote preschoolers’ socio-emotional competencies and well-being, highlighting the importance of continued development and evaluation of their effects. This study examined the short- and medium-term impact of SuperKids, a universal, school-based SEL preventive intervention for Spanish-speaking preschool children aged 4–6 years in Spain. The program comprises eight weekly 50-minute sessions, delivered by trained psychologists through play, role-play, videos, and interactive activities. A total of 254 preschoolers ( M = 4.75, SD = 0.63) and their parents participated in a longitudinal study with assessments conducted at pretest, posttest, and 6-month follow-up. Children’s direct assessments revealed significant immediate improvements in socio-emotional competencies, including emotional recognition, emotional understanding, and social skills, which were maintained six months after the intervention. Parent reports further indicated sustained benefits across several domains, including improvements in health-related quality of life (e.g., socio-emotional and physical well-being), reductions in behavioral inhibition, and decreases in emotional symptoms. Taken together, the findings provide initial evidence for the effectiveness of SuperKids in enhancing socio-emotional competencies and well-being, while also reducing difficulties such as behavioral inhibition and emotional symptoms in preschool-aged children. The sustained effects observed at a 6-month follow-up highlight the potential of SuperKids as a universal intervention to foster positive and lasting developmental outcomes during early childhood.