Program Hero: A Virtual Intervention Program to Promote Positive Emotions and Prosociality in Argentine Adolescents During Times of Social Isolation Due to COVID-19

Abstract

The present chapter aimed to analyze the effectiveness of the Hero virtual intervention in promoting positive emotions and prosocial behavior towards strangers, family members, and friends during the mandatory quarantine period due to COVID-19. In addition, the mediating effect of positive emotions on the effectiveness of the intervention in promoting prosocial behavior was studied. The study included 115 participants in the intervention group and 106 participants in the wait-list control group (Mage = 13.57, SD = 1.14, 47% male). Results indicated that Hero was effective in promoting positive emotions (i.e., joy, contentment, gratitude, serenity, and sympathy) and prosocial behaviors toward strangers, family, and friends in adolescents who participated in the program. The effectiveness of the Hero program on prosociality would be moderated by the promotion of positive emotional states.