Roots of Empathy is a universal schools-based intervention for children aged 4 to 14 years. It is delivered by a trained instructor to classrooms of children for a period of nine months.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
8 to 12 years old
Group
Roots of Empathy is a universal, classroom-based social-emotional learning (SEL) intervention for children aged 4 to 14 years. It aims to enhance empathy, foster prosocial behaviour, and reduce aggression. The interventions approach centres on monthly visits from a local parent and infant, who serve as a living example to guide lessons in emotional understanding, empathy, and social skills.
A trained instructor delivers 27 sessions over the school year, structured around nine core themes: Meeting the Baby, Crying, Caring and Planning for the Baby, Emotions, Safety, Sleep, Communication, Who Am I? Goodbye and Good Wishes. Each theme involves three lessons: (1) a pre-family visit that introduces the theme; (2) a class visit by the infant and parent; and (3) a post-family visit where the students are guided to discuss the baby’s visit and conclude the theme. During the class visit, the instructor helps students observe the baby’s development, label the baby’s feelings, and reflect on their own emotions and the emotions of others. The other sessions could involve stories, art projects, and general classroom activities in which they reflect and discuss their own emotions and the emotions of others.
4 to 14 years
This intervention is a universal intervention targeting the general population of school-aged children
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Emotional processes and social understanding play critical roles in children’s interpersonal relationships and social behaviours, including aggression.
Science-based assumption
Improved emotional literacy and self-awareness can contribute to self-regulation and resilience.
Science-based assumption
All children at school aged 4 to 14 years.
Intervention
Children learn emotional understanding, empathy, and social skills through guided observations of the relationship between parent and baby, and other classroom activities.
Short-term
Improved emotional literacy
Improved emotional self-awareness.
Medium-term
Improved emotional understanding
Improved self-regulation and resilience.
Long-term
Increased prosocial behaviours
Reduced aggressive behaviour, including bullying
Improved interpersonal relationships.
All children aged 4 to 14 years from selected classrooms.
Roots of Empathy is delivered in 27 sessions of 30 to 40 minutes’ duration each by one trained instructor, to a classroom of children.
Roots of Empathy consists of 27 sessions which cover nine themes and include nine visits from a local parent and baby (two to four months at the start).
The nine themes, which relate to the baby, are as follows: Meeting the Baby, Crying, Caring and Planning for the Baby, Emotions, Safety, Sleep, Communication, Who Am I? Goodbye and Good Wishes.
Each theme involves three lessons:
During the intervention, children become engaged in lessons through stories, art projects, and general classroom activities in which they reflect and discuss their own emotions and the emotions of others.
A trained volunteer.
The practitioners have four days of training. Booster training of practitioners is recommended.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by one external supervisor with 1.5 days of training, as well as ongoing mentoring.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Contact person: Lisa Bayrami
Organisation: Roots of Empathy
Email address: LBayrami@rootsofempathy.org
international@rootsofempathy.org
Website: www.rootsofempathy.org
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
Roots of Empathy’s most rigorous evidence comes from one randomised controlled trial conducted in Canada, and one quasi-experimental design study conducted Northern Ireland consistent with Foundations’ Level 2+ evidence strength threshold.
This study identified statistically significant reductions in relational aggression, proactive aggression, and improvements in prosocial behaviour.
Roots of Empathy has evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the intervention caused the improvement.
| Identified in search | 8 |
| Studies reviewed | 2 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 2 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 0 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 6 |
| Study design | QED |
| Country | Canada |
| Sample characteristics | The study involved 638 children aged 8 to 12 years (mean age 10 years, 7 months) from 28 classrooms across two cities in Canada. |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities | Reported first language:
|
| Population risk factors | None reported |
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes |
|
| Other outcomes | None |
| Study rating | 2+ |
| Citations | Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Smith, V., Zaidman-Zait, A. & Hertzman, C. (2011) Promoting children’s prosocial behaviors in school: Impact of the ‘Roots of Empathy’ program on the social and emotional competence of school-aged children. School Mental Health. 4 (1), 1–21. |
| Study design | Cluster RCT |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sample characteristics | The study involved 1,278 children aged 8 to 9 years from 74 primary schools from four of the five health and social care trust areas in Northern Ireland. |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities | Not reported |
| Population risk factors | 67% of children had mothers with highest educational qualification below third level |
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes | Improved prosocial behaviour (Teacher report) |
| Other outcomes | None |
| Study rating | 2+ |
| Citations | Connolly, P., Miller, S., Kee, F., Sloan, S., Gildea, A., McIntosh, E. & Bland, J. M. (2018) A cluster randomised controlled trial and evaluation and cost-effectiveness analysis of the Roots of Empathy schools-based programme for improving social and emotional well-being outcomes among 8-to 9-year-olds in Northern Ireland. Public Health Research. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
Cain, G. & Carnellor, Y. (2008) ‘Roots of Empathy’: A research study on its impact on teachers in Western Australia. Journal of Student Wellbeing. 2 (1), 52–73.
Kendall, G., Schonert-Reichl, K., Smith, V., Jacoby, P., Austin, R., Stanley, F. & Hertzman, C. (2006) The evaluation of ‘Roots of Empathy’ in Western Australian schools. Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.
MacDonald, A., McLafferty, M., Bell, P., McCorkell, L., Walker, I., Smith, V. & Balfour, A. (2013) Evaluation of the Roots of Empathy programme by North Lanarkshire Psychological Service. North Lanarkshire Psychological Service Research and Action for Children, UK.
Rolheiser, C. & Wallace, D. (2005) The Roots of Empathy programme as a strategy for increasing social and emotional learning. Programme Evaluation – Final report. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
Santos, R. G., Chartier, M. J., Whalen, J. C., Chateau, D. & Boyd, L. (2011) Effectiveness of school-based violence prevention for children and youth: A research report. Healthcare Quarterly. 14 (S2), 80–91.
Wrigley, J., Makara, K. & Elliot, D. (2015) Evaluation of Roots of Empathy in Scotland 2014-2015: Final report for Action for Children.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
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Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
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Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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