Emotional intelligence appears to be a key predictor of our children’s ability to make suitable peer relationships, develop a well-balanced outlook on life and to reach their academic potential at school. At a time when children and adolescents are interacting less with each other and more with computers and play station games, parents and educators are worried that their emotional and inter-personal competencies may be poorer than in previous generations and that this may be a key determinant for a generation of higher levels of depression and psychiatric illness and youth suicide.

In addition, the ability of students to get the most out of their schooling and education may depend on the quality of relationships with teachers and peers and how emotionally satisfied and balanced they feel during these difficult years of emotional and academic growth. Indeed, while it appears that emotional intelligence can be developed at any age, recent research on brain development suggests that adolescence is a critical period for the development of emotional intelligence.

The Brain Sciences Institute is working to support schools in the creation of learning environments that optimise the emotional, social, academic and physical development of children and adolescents to assist them to become happy, healthy and productive members of society.