Abstract

PARRA ESQUIVEL, Eliana Isabel. Mental abilities and prosocial behavior in school Children. Salud, Barranquilla [online]. 2012, vol.28, n.1, pp.113-130. ISSN 0120-5552.

Objective: To establish the relationship between mental abilities and prosocial behavior in children with features of social deprivation, identify the use of mentalistic skills in contexts of social deprivation and to promote the use of mental abilities through role-play. Materials and methods: This research is descriptive and qualitative in nature from the case study. The sample consists of children aged 7 years, who are educated and have no diagnosis of learning problems or other related diagnoses. Once the pilot procedures and baseline were carried out, mediations were administered so that two groups were identified within the studied children. The first was characterized by appropriate use of mentalistic skills and the second was having difficulty in using them. Results: The first group showed a correct use of mental abilities because the use of categories of predict and simulate properly allow them to manipulate cooperatively. The second group showed difficulties in the use of the skills to predict and simulate what not allow it to manipulate in benefit of others. Conclusions: It was found that altruistic prosocial behaviors require a cognitive component, specifically the development of mental abilities. At the same time, it was found that children, who cannot manipulate cooperatively, have difficulty making appropriate representational relationships of beliefs and desires of their own and others' mental states. And it was found that promoting the use of mental abilities in children with features of social deprivation through role playing, improves their conflict resolutions abilities.

Keywords : Mental abilities; prosocial behavior; empathy; social deprivation and role playing.

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