Evaluation of the Fun FRIENDS program with a sample of Mexican children

Introduction: Anxiety symptoms in young children can have negative consequences such as the deterioration
of family and interpersonal functioning, and may lead to the development of an anxiety disorder; therefore, the
importance of prevention.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Fun FRIENDS program in the reduction
of children’s anxiety symptoms and the promotion of emotional and behavioral competences as a protective
factor in a sample of Mexican children.
Methodology: The participants included 49 children from the first grade at elementary school along with their
teachers. The program was implemented by teachers as twelve consecutive one-week sessions conducted
in the classroom. The outcome was measured with a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. Measures
included the Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS) for parents, Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (BERS-2) for
parents and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), for parents and teachers.
Results: Findings showed a decrease in the subscale of separation anxiety of the PAS, an increase in the interpersonal, intrapersonal and affective strengths subscales of the BERS-2, and an increase in prosocial behavior
as measured by the SDQ.
Conclusions: Results indicate promise for the effectiveness of the Fun FRIENDS program as an early intervention program based on the promotion of resilience for Mexican children.