Emotional Stability
Purpose: Developing emotional stability.
Issue addressed: Difficulties in managing emotions and maintaining emotional balance in the face of conflicts, stress, and negative perceptions.
Relevance to mental health: Emotional instability can lead to impulsive reactions, interpersonal conflicts, and decreased self-confidence. Activities that help young people regulate their emotions and build a positive self-image are essential for their mental and relational well-being.
Intended change: Enhancing emotional control, strengthening the ability to maintain stability in challenging situations, and promoting a healthy and balanced self-image.
Context of pilot implementation
The activity was piloted within the MEET project at the “Meșterul Manole” Theoretical High School in the rural community of Sălcuța in the Republic of Moldova, a partner school of Ion Creangă State Pedagogical University of Chișinău. The activity was implemented twice with two different groups of young participants representing distinct age levels, including lower secondary and upper secondary students. Both sessions followed the same structure of the activity, allowing facilitators to observe how participants of different ages approached emotional expression and reflection. The sessions were facilitated by trained practitioners, who adapted the pace of the discussions and the depth of reflection according to the developmental characteristics of each group.
Theoretical background
Emotional stability is a fundamental concept for mental health and individual well-being. It refers to the ability to manage and express emotions in a balanced way, even in the face of stress or conflict. A person with emotional stability is able to cope with challenges without giving in to negative impulses and regulates their reactions in order to maintain a positive internal climate. Activities that foster emotional stability are essential for young people, especially for those facing emotional vulnerabilities, interpersonal conflicts, or a lack of self-awareness. The “4 Squares” exercise helps participants to self-evaluate, to understand how they are perceived in different contexts, and how they can adjust their thinking and reactions in order to maintain a healthy emotional balance.
Target group
- Age: 12–30 years (also adaptable for adults)
- Profile: students, NEET young people, youth from vulnerable backgrounds, diverse groups (urban/rural, minorities)
- Context: non-formal or formal education settings (educational activities, workshops, training sessions)
Context of use
Location: School, NGO, youth centers, community centers, etc.
Types of skills and dimensions addressed:
- Socio emotional: self-awareness, empathy, emotional self-regulation;
- Relational: improving communication and conflict management;
- Self-regulation: impulse control, managing anger and frustration;
- Awareness: understanding how perspectives influence perceptions and reactions;
positive thinking, self-efficacy. - Personal development: personal reflection, acceptance of emotional diversity.
Activity description – step by step
Drawing the 4 squares: Participants are invited to reflect on their personal characteristics and emotional responses in different situations. They are encouraged to think about their positive personal qualities that they like, as well as the negative qualities they do not like.
Step 1: Drawing the squares
The educator explains to participants how to draw a large square on a sheet of paper and divide it into four equal squares (numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4), answers questions, and provides clarification if necessary. Participants listen to the educator and draw the squares according to the instructions.
Step 2: Identifying personal strengths and weaknesses
The educator provides participants with sheets of paper and drawing materials and asks them to write in square 1 five qualities they appreciate about themselves, and in square 3 five flaws or habits they do not like about themselves. The educator then provides examples to guide participants (e.g., “quality: I am patient” or “flaw: I am too impulsive”). The educator shows patience and empathy, ensuring that all participants understand the task. Participants complete the squares with positive and negative traits.
Step 3: Reframing negative traits into positive terms
The educator invites participants to reformulate the negative traits written in square 3 into positive terms. For example, “too impulsive” can be reframed as “able to react quickly in crisis situations.” The educator encourages participants to think about how they would be described by someone who cares deeply about them. Participants write the new formulations in square 2.
Step 4: Reframing positive traits into negative terms
The educator asks participants to imagine a person with whom they are in conflict and to reformulate the qualities from square 1 into negative terms. For example, “I am patient” can become “I am too slow to react in urgent situations.”
The educator encourages them to think about how these qualities might be perceived by someone who criticizes them. Participants write the negative reformulations in square 4.
Step 5: Personal reflection and group discussion
The educator asks participants to cover squares 3 and 4 and observe squares 1 and 2. The educator facilitates a short discussion by asking: What impression do you have about how you are perceived? After that, participants are asked to cover squares 1 and 2 and analyze squares 3 and 4. The educator then asks: What does it mean that the same traits are seen differently depending on perspective? The educator facilitates a discussion about how perceptions influence the way we communicate and how we can maintain emotional stability in challenging situations. Participants take part in the discussion, share their opinions about the changes in perception they observed, reflect on their experience, and share ideas or conclusions.
Required Materials: Sheets of paper, Sheet of paper; pencils or markers for drawing.
Possible Adaptations
- Smaller or larger groups: The exercise works in the same way; however, in larger groups it may be helpful to divide participants into smaller groups for discussions.
- Different age groups: It can be adapted for children or adolescents by simplifying the language and using more accessible examples.
- Different levels of vulnerability:
- For vulnerable groups, it may be helpful to allow more time for personal reflection.
- In the case of young people with more complex difficulties, it is important to be attentive to emerging emotions and to facilitate discussions in an empathetic manner.
Impact Evaluation of the Activity
| Indicator | Evaluation method |
|---|---|
| Improvement in self-awareness and acceptance of one’s own traits | Self-assessment sheet before/after the activity (e.g., “I feel more aware of how others perceive me” – scale 1–5). |
| Openness to viewing one’s own flaws from a positive perspective | Verbal feedback during group discussions. |
Reactions observed during the pilot activity
The activity generated diverse reactions reflecting the participants’ levels of self-awareness and emotional regulation. In both groups, many students approached the task with curiosity, although some initially showed hesitation when invited to reflect on their personal qualities and flaws. For some participants, the exercise was engaging and thought-provoking, while others needed more time to openly analyse their own traits. Differences were observed between participants with different emotional and psychological profiles. Some young people demonstrated a high level of self-awareness and were able to identify and reformulate their traits with ease, while others found it more challenging to view their flaws from a positive perspective or to reinterpret their strengths in a critical way. Certain differences were also noticeable between boys and girls. In many cases, girls engaged more quickly in reflective tasks and were more willing to share their thoughts and personal insights. Boys sometimes approached the activity with humour or brief responses at first, but gradually became more involved as the discussion progressed. Participants from the older group tended to provide more complex reflections on how perceptions influence emotional stability, while younger participants responded more directly and concretely, focusing on specific traits and examples from their daily experiences.
Risks and warnings
- Avoid criticism or ridiculing participants
- Participation in discussions is voluntary
- The activity does not aim to address trauma, but to support the development of emotional stability