DALLAS, July 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In partnership
with researchers at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence,
Kleenex brand conducts a social experiment to equip students with
one item less likely to make back-to-school supply lists:
empathy.
Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7844851-kleenex-empathy-social-experiment/
Despite its absence, research suggests empathy is in high
demand. Students prepared with social strategies are better
equipped to navigate social and academic challenges themselves as
well as to help others through challenging times.1
Research suggests that the transition to middle school might be
a particularly challenging time. Feelings of unease are more
pronounced among this age group due to significant changes in
developmental and hormonal physiology, social environment and
academic requirements. These emotions are amplified by pressure
from social media, parents and peers. 2 However,
research notes that children who have tools and strategies to
connect with others and understand they are not alone are more
likely to thrive socially and academically.3
"We asked ourselves, 'What if we could unlock the inner
caregiver among those with the toughest exterior – middle schoolers
-- by arming them with one simple tool before they set foot in the
classroom?'. 'What would it look like if someone showed them the
impact kindness can have before they arrived in middle school?'"
said Victoria Tylinski, Senior Brand
Manager, Kimberly-Clark. "We can all relate to the emotional, and
physical, challenges of entering adolescence and starting middle
school. As the category leader, Kleenex Facial Tissues is
highlighting these otherwise overlooked life moments to inspire
students and their caregivers to share a gesture of Kleenex Care
this back-to-school season."
Researchers from the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
surveyed fifth grade students during their last week of elementary
school about their feelings toward transitioning to middle school
this fall. Their pre-experiment responses mimicked existing
findings, and reflected a range of logistic, social, and academic
challenges. Of the students surveyed, 87 percent report feeling
worry (a little or a lot) and 76 percent experience stress.
Specifically, 91 percent of students worry about getting to class
on time, not knowing where they were going, and getting bad grades,
69 percent worry about not fitting in, and 67 percent worry about
being judged by others.
"Back-to-school is filled with mixed emotions, from anxiety and
nervousness to excitement and curiosity. In fact, during the social
experiment, students named 54 different emotions that they were
experiencing," said Shauna Tominey,
Ph.D. from The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
To conduct the social experiment, Kleenex brand sponsored a
workshop led by researchers at Yale
with a group of students preparing to enter middle school to teach
them pro-social strategies, including creating a "Kleenex Care
Kit." Each kit contained a Kleenex® Slim Wallet with a
custom sticker wrapping where they could share a message to someone
in need of care. The majority of students (55 percent) reported
that making the kit taught them new strategies to manage their
concerns about going to middle school. Additionally, the
post-experiment survey showed that 64 percent of students reported
feeling more confident, 59 percent less alone and 57 percent less
worried.
"It was as simple as using Kleenex Facial Tissues to open a
dialogue about the students' concerns and discuss ways to face them
and support their classmates at the workshop," added Lori Nathanson, Ph.D. from The Yale Center for
Emotional Intelligence.
The experiment, captured in a video, is live on
Facebook.com/Kleenex. As part of the larger "Someone Needs One"
program, Kleenex brand is challenging people to be more aware of
overlooked, everyday opportunities to show that they care this
back-to-school season and beyond.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and
its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for
people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of
the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark brands and the
solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and
well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups,
Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No.1 or No. 2 share
position in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to
learn more about the company's 144-year history of innovation,
visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook and
Twitter.
1 Jones, Greenberg,
& Crowley, 2015
2 Qualter, Whiteley, Hutchinson, & Pope, 2007
3 Akos, 2002; Arnett, 2014
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visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/compelling-social-experiment-tackles-back-to-school-anxiety-300300400.html
SOURCE Kimberly-Clark