“Drawing on the latest research and an abundance of case material, Carolyn Saarni vividly explores the range of skills that lead to emotional competence—awareness of self and others, sensitivity to masked as well as expressed emotion, the ability to put feelings into words, and strategies for coping with adversity. She eloquently situates that competence in its wider social, cultural, and moral context. Anyone who wants to nurture or understand the development of emotional competence should read this book.”

—Paul L. Harris, PhD, Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford


“The Development of Emotional Competence advances our understanding of the rich tapestry of human emotion, and of the skills that emerge as we learn to live with its influence in daily life. It is a valuable resource to students as well as professionals in psychology, counseling, social work, and education. As a developmentalist, clinician, parent, and astute observer of human emotion, Carolyn Saarni has presented a complex and essential feature of human experience in a comprehensible and compelling manner.”

—From the Foreword by Ross A. Thompson, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska


“The best treatment of emotional competence in the literature. Well written, thoroughly researched, and engagingly illustrated, this book is 'must' reading for anyone interested in the contemporary issues surrounding the concept of emotional intelligence.”

—Joseph J. Campos, PhD, University of California at Berkeley