“To grow together”: the Patrizio Paoletti Foundation campaign

The decline of emotional intelligence among youth

A recent meta-analysis of 70 recent studies involving around 17,000 participants indicates a decline in emotional skills among young and adult Western populations, especially in terms of well-being, self-control, and emotionality. These changes have been linked to the increasing use of social media, which often replaces face-to-face interactions with online ones, reducing opportunities for emotional closeness and social bonding. It is therefore urgent to act on this not always visible root, renewing educational methods on a scientific basis for global healthIn the vast and multifaceted landscape of global health, the... More of the body, emotions, and mind.

Hidden social costs of low emotional competence

Adolescent Mental Health Crisis: Rising Anxiety and Depression

The reduction in emotional intelligenceThe first definition of Emotional Intelligence as such was p... More has been linked by research to an increase in symptoms of anxietyAnxiety is an emotional response characterized by feelings o... More and depressionDepression is a disorder characterized by persistent sadness... More, as well as mood disorders, suicidal ideation, and suicide"Suicide can be defined as “the deliberate act of ending o... More attempts. According to the Post-Pandemic Generation report by the Italian National Youth AgencyThe concept of “Agency” is central in the field of psych... More, young Italians feel uncertainty about the future (49%) and anxiety (30.5%), which in some cases turns into fear (14.6%) and pessimism (13.5%). These problems are again related to challenges in managing emotions in an increasingly digitalized world.

Interpersonal Relationship Problems

Low emotional competence limits the ability to establish and maintain satisfying relationships. Difficulties in expressing emotions appropriately and understanding others’ feelings can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, compromising both personal and professional relationships. This issue is well known in the psychopedagogical field and is linked to the concept of “nominalizationNominalization refers to the process of transforming into a ... More.” A crucial stage in developing emotional competence is precisely the ability to nominalize one’s own feelings and those of others. Developing this skill requires specific training with appropriate tools.

In Italy, recently, low emotional competence has been invoked in debates following incidents of gender-based violence. Observers have noted that the inability to manage affective relationships is an inner cause of such terrible events. This is especially true considering the radical social transformation regarding gender roles, stable relationships, and family concepts, all in a globalized world where diversity has multiplied exponentially, requiring tools to decode it.

Alexithymia, the emotional void

In connectionConnection: the human need that precedes all technology Conn... More with recent cases of femicide and infanticide, the term alexithymia is increasingly used. Derived from a– (without), lexis (word), and thymos (emotion), it literally means being “without words for emotions.” Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulty defining, recognizing, and verbalizing emotions. It is estimated that 10% of the population suffers from it, with peaks up to 13%. Scientific studies support a strong correlation between alexithymia and several pathologies, including anxiety, depression, and even dermatological diseases, affecting the body-mind system.

The roots of alexithymia may include multiple causes, such as genetic and environmental factors, like poor emotional attunement or dysfunctional attachmentAttachment: the invisible thread connecting human relationsh... More styles in childhood. A Finnish study associated alexithymia with low socioeconomic and cultural levels, offering insights into the importance of education in its prevention.

Youth violence

Emotional illiteracyEmotional illiteracy is a term used to describe a person’s... More is also linked to the spread of youth violence. According to the report “Voluntary Homicides in Italy” by the Central Criminal Police Service, while overall homicides are decreasing, youth involvement is concerning: 11% of perpetrators are minors (vs 4% in 2023), and 7% of victims are minors (vs 4% the previous year).

The ESPAD® Italy 2023 report by the CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology confirms that violence among youth is rising. Almost 40% of high school students aged 15–19 were involved in fights in 2023 (~990,000 students), a 7% increase from 2019. 12% participated in group violence, and 5.8% caused serious injuries requiring medical care.

Youth violence also targets property, with 6.2% damaging public or private goods. Violence occurs offline and online, with 10% witnessing filmed violent acts and 3.6% recording them personally. 30% admit to cyberbullyingCyberbullying is the enactment via the internet of behaviors... More. CNR researchers link this wave of violence to general youth malaise, including unsatisfying relationships with parents/friends and poor emotional support. “Violent behaviors among youth create a vicious circle intertwining personal distress, relational problems, and substance abuse. Awareness campaigns and targeted interventions are needed not only for youth but also for adults,” commented Sabrina Molinaro, CNR-Ifc research director and ESPAD® Italy study lead.

Regulatory efforts in Italy

Following public debate over news events, at the beginning of 2022, Law 2782/22 was unanimously approved, establishing the «Provision on experimental teaching of emotional intelligence education in schools of all levels». The law emphasizes that working in class on emotions and feelings promotes academic success, prevents educational povertyGuaranteeing access to quality education, regardless of geog... More, and combats school dropout‘School dropout’ refers to the phenomenon in which a you... More. Italy’s approach aligns with international trends, such as the establishment of a Ministry of Loneliness in the UK and Japan. The WHO has created a commission to promote social connection. Raising awareness, emotional literacy, and fostering healthy social networks are global health priorities, with significant social and economic implications.

The need for new educational tools

Effectively addressing the growing emotional competence crisis requires interventions aimed at improving emotional intelligence through continuous training and education. Emotional competence deficits should be considered within the broader framework of educational poverty affecting global health. Tackling these issues improves individual mental health, social cohesion, and workplace productivity.

The importance for the labor market

According to the World Economic Forum, emotional intelligence is among the top 10 skills in demand at least until 2025. Statistics show that people with high emotional intelligence earn an average of $29,000 more per year than those with low EI. Additionally, each point increase in EI adds about $1,300 to annual salary.

Cinema that teaches emotions

Cinema can also support emotional literacy, for example through the animated sequel Inside Out, produced by Pixar in 2015 and Oscar-winning. In Italy, starting June 19, 2024, Riley’s emotional adventures return to the big screen. Inside Out is a global success, the highest-grossing animated film ever, earning $1 billion, showing great interest in emotional awareness.

The production was supported by psychologists, helping the creators guide audiences on an educational journey through adolescent emotions. The first film presented the HQ of the emotion characters Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. Inside Out 2 introduces four new characters: Embarrassment, Envy, Ennui (existential boredom), and Anxiety. The film highlights the prevalence of anxiety among adolescents, addressed in a free video-lesson by Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti.

A scientifically grounded emotional education program

Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti, through its multidisciplinary research institute RINED, has been working on education for global health for nearly 25 years. It has also participated in EU projects developing methods for emotional intelligence in schools.

The Foundation’s model, Pedagogy for the Third MillenniumPedagogy for the Third Millennium (PTM) is an interdisciplin... More, designed by Patrizio Paoletti and his neuro-psychopedagogical team, promotes an educational approach addressing four human components: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. This 360° approach aligns with current brain science, which shows modular structures and skills to be integrated. Emotional intelligence is key, as emotions bridge body and mind, and proper emotional health ensures overall well-being.

The pedagogy of emotions: nominalization

In PedagogyTo understand what pedagogy is, let’s provide a definition... More for the Third Millennium, a multidisciplinary methodology based on neuroscientific findings is applied. The first step in developing emotional competence is “nominalization,” the ability to read one’s own and others’ emotions with their typical characteristics. Research shows that each emotion is linked to specific cognitive components, physiological activation, and subtle facial cues we can perceive in ourselves and others.

Growing together: emotional training for different age groups

This year, Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti’s program includes four webinars paired with EduKits for each age group: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and elderly. The webinars will be released around international observances: World Parents’ Day, Alzheimer’s Day, Mental Health Day, and Children’s Rights Day. Content will be published between June and November 2024. Four free EduKits with exercises for each age group will be distributed, focusing on daily relational life. Each EduKit provides guides for parent-child, adolescent, couple, and elderly relationships, offering concrete tools for emotional awareness and management.

To multiply tools for fast emotional competence learningThe term learning—with the synonyms to learn, assimilate, ... More, Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti created a new Glossary section on emotional intelligence, from June 2024. The Glossary will explore emotions, cognitive components, physiological activation, hedonic tones, and motivational systems to promote a scientific and practical view of our affective world.

• The first EduKit is dedicated to Childhood Emotions, downloadable for free here.
• It is accompanied by a free video lesson on educating happiness with children.
• The second EduKit is dedicated to Adolescent Emotions, downloadable for free here.
• Accompanied by a free video lesson on adolescent emotions.
• The third EduKit is available on Adult Emotions, focusing on parenthood.
• Accompanied by a free video lesson on parents’ emotions.
• The fourth EduKit on Elderly Emotions, downloadable for free here.
• Accompanied by a free video lesson on protective relationships in later life.