Educación emocional para el desarrollo de la motivación en estudiantes de educación básica

Emotional education is a process that develops skills such as identifying, understanding, and regulating emotions, linking positive affective states with academic motivation to reduce anxiety and improve school engagement. The objective of this research was to establish the importance of emotional education in motivating elementary school students in the Quevedo canton, Los Ríos Province. To achieve this, the specific objectives were to describe the principles that underpin emotional education in the educational context, interpret the perspectives of key informants on its impact on student motivation, and propose strategies aimed at strengthening motivation through the development of socio-emotional skills. A mixed-methods design was used, employing quantitative data from 20 seventh-grade students using a standardized Likert-type test and a qualitative analysis of interviews with three educational professionals with more than 18 years of experience. The results showed that emotional competency levels were above average, with 90% of students exhibiting high academic motivation. However, approximately 15% showed deficits in basic emotional education. Female students scored higher in motivation and self-regulation, indicating a high level of empathy, self-regulation, and self-esteem as primary competencies. This suggests the need to implement strategies such as emotional traffic lights and restorative circles. Methodological triangulation revealed a relationship between high quantified motivation and reported socio-emotional pedagogical practices. The study concludes that emotional education is a determining factor in academic motivation, requiring interventions focused on emotional awareness, the systematization of socio-emotional programs, and the strengthening of school-family ties to enhance students' holistic development.