ABSTRACT
In the previous three chapters we focused on some of the common mental health problems in adolescence, under the headings of internalizing and externalizing problem behavior and substance use. In writing these chapters, we have emphasized how individual and contextual risk factors may be addressed in preventive and treatment efforts. In this chapter we apply a resource perspective when we turn to the issue of competence promotion, and how this approach may be applied in order to prevent and reduce mental health problems. There was an increase in the interest of research on social competence in the 1960s when it turned out that social competence was associated with childrens’ mental health, problem behavior and substance use (Asher & Renshaw, 1981 ). It was assumed that social competence could protect against stress and psychosocial strain, and also that it could contribute to successful inclusion of disaffected youths in schools and in the local community. During the next three decades, numerous research studies have supported the fi nding that there is a dual relationship between mental health and social competence (Beauchamp & Anderson, 2010 ; Beelman, Pfi ngsten & Lösel, 1994 ; Burt et al ., 2008 ; Garmezy, 1989 ; Schneider, 1993 ; Spence, 2003 ). Closely related to the social competence approach is the Social and Emotional Learning model (SEL) which is particularly relevant for schools and has a lot in common with “social competence and skills education”, although the authors of this book prefer the latter approach. SEL program developers combine the teaching of social and emotional skills in order to promote the integration of emotion, cognition, communication and behavior. From our point of view it is more diffi cult to defi ne what “emotional skills” are compared to “cognitive and social skills”. Although it makes sense that social and emotional problems should be prevented or reduced by using social and emotional interventions, we prefer to focus on social learning and the concept of “social competence and skills education”. Still we think that a lot of what is written
about social and emotional learning overlaps with and is relevant for the domain of social competence and will therefore be included in this chapter.
