Emotional Literacy and Self-Awareness in Adolescents: Exploring Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart for Schools

Adolescents must develop emotional literacy and self-awareness as they navigate the complexities of a world rife with environmental crises, political turmoil, and societal injustices. Emotional literacy involves the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's emotions and the emotions of others, which is particularly important in a world where adolescents are exposed to a range of emotional stimuli, from the traumatic effects of climate change to the disorienting impact of political polarization and systemic inequalities. Correspondingly, self-awareness involves reflecting on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to understand how they impact oneself and others, cultivating a sense of agency and purpose that enables positive contributions in different settings. The present analysis explores the possible use of Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart to develop emotional literacy and self-awareness in students. Emotional maps are defined, and their importance in navigating emotions is discussed. The Atlas of the Heart book is introduced, and the various emotions and feelings are explained. The analysis also offers guidance on implementing the Atlas of the Heart to students, including those with exceptionalities, and provides examples of activities that can be used to develop emotional literacy and self-awareness. The benefits of developing emotional literacy and self-awareness in students are also discussed. Finally, potential challenges for implementing the Atlas of the Heart in classrooms and suggestions for overcoming them are presented. The analysis provides a comprehensive overview of using the Atlas of the Heart to develop emotional literacy and self-awareness in adolescents.

emphasized emotional self-awareness to help at-risk adolescent boys explore and challenge traditional gender norms and engage in more positive behaviors and interactions with others. Pelin (2021) explores the impact of English language learning on the acquisition of soft skills such as emotional literacy and critical thinking skills, suggesting that English language learning can contribute to developing critical thinking and emotional literacy skills, which are important for students' academic and future success. Forber-Pratt et al. (2022) found that SEL and motivational interviews can be used to support middle school youth with disabilities or those at risk of disability identification by assessing the impact of these interventions on the group's social and emotional wellbeing. In integrating SEL strategies and motivational interviews, the study aims to improve the motivation and engagement of middle school students, leading to positive results and providing valuable insights into the potential benefits of SEL and motivational interviews for students with disabilities or those at risk, fostering their overall well-being and academic achievement.
In Alemdar and Anılan (2022), emotional literacy and emotional labor are important components of social capital in educational contexts, highlighting the potential of emotional literacy and emotional labor in building stronger relationships with students and contributing to a positive school culture.
Coskun (2019) also evaluated the impact of SEL activities on self-regulation skills among primary school children, finding that SEL activities can positively influence students' self-regulation skills, which can have implications for their academic and social success. Self-regulation is modifying or controlling one's thoughts, emotions, actions, and words. Emotional regulation controls emotions and directs them toward more acceptable and appropriate behavior (Coskun, 2019). Even more so, during adolescence, individuals undergo significant cognitive, emotional, and social changes, making selfregulation a critical skill to develop (Fomina et al., 2020).
Similarly, in developing self-awareness in students, Thaintheerasombat and Chookhampaeng (2022) propose using social and emotional learning processes to develop self-awareness skills in high school students. Geesa et al. (2019) define self-awareness as the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and values, explaining that self-awareness is a key component of SEL and P á g i n a 6780 is essential for individuals to develop a positive sense of self, making responsible decisions, and engaging in healthy relationships with others. Sevilla (2021) draws on the teachings of the Kyoto School to argue for the importance of education for self-awareness in promoting mindful education.
Bıdık and Sisman (2021) systematically reviewed school-based mental health programs, suggesting that such programs can help improve psychosocial well-being in children and adolescents, potentially enhancing their self-awareness.
Additionally, Trentini et al. (2022) investigated the role of emotional self-awareness in gender differences in empathy during adolescence, finding that emotional self-awareness moderated the relationship between gender and empathy, with higher levels of emotional self-awareness predicting greater empathy in both boys and girls and suggesting that emotional literacy and self-awareness are important factors in fostering empathy during adolescence, and may help mitigate gender differences in this area. Similarly, Kara and Yüksel (2022) developed and evaluated a training program to improve adolescent emotional awareness, pointing to improvements associated with better mental health outcomes and further reinforcing the importance of emotional literacy and self-awareness in adolescent development, suggesting that targeted interventions may effectively promote these skills. Despite the importance of emotional literacy and self-awareness, research has identified several challenges associated with teaching these skills in the classroom. For example, a study by Mahoney et al. (2018) concluded that compelling evidence supports the value of SEL programs for promoting positive outcomes in students' academic and personal lives but finding that implementing SEL programs in schools can be challenging due to factors such as lack of teacher training, limited resources, and competing priorities. Additionally, challenges identified by Mahoney highlight the need to address equity concerns, such as ensuring that all students have access to high-quality SEL programs and addressing cultural differences in how emotions are expressed and regulated. Mahoney also notes the need for continued research to understand better the long-term impacts of SEL programs on students' academic, social, and emotional outcomes (Mahoney, 2018).
The present analysis incorporates the review of relevant works related to emotional literacy and selfawareness in education. The literature review focuses primarily on research published in the last five years to ensure the most up-to-date and relevant information is included. The research is selected based on relevance to the research themes and the identified gap. Some references that were identified were outside of the scope of the five years but are appropriate and significant in support of the purpose of the analysis, such as founding theorists on emotional literacy (Steiner, 1997) and self-awareness in the classroom (Duval & Wicklund, 1972;Silvia & Duval, 2001). Accordingly, the review centers on themes of emotional literacy and self-awareness in education, focusing on the following: 1. The benefits of emotional literacy and self-awareness for academic performance and socialemotional well-being 2. The challenges of implementing emotional literacy and self-awareness programs in schools 3. The potential of using the Atlas of the Heart to develop emotional literacy and self-awareness in students.

RESEARCH AND METHODS
Emotional literacy in schools is viewed as vital preparation for future success, as it allows students to explore their emotions, identify strengths and limitations, and understand their learning styles P á g i n a 6782 (Dusenbury & Weissberg, 2017). Van Damme and Ramaekers (2022)  The present analysis aims to fill this research gap by investigating the potential of using Brown's Atlas of the Heart to develop emotional literacy and self-awareness in students.
Brown's (2021) Atlas of the Heart provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and managing human emotions, offering a framework for healthy emotional expression. Educators can incorporate emotional maps from the atlas in the classroom to foster emotional literacy, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and a culture of emotional well-being. The atlas facilitates the identification and understanding of emotions, tracking emotional changes over time, and developing strategies for managing difficult emotions (Brown, 2021;Farrell, 2022;Kroeze Visser, 2022;Pagliarella, 2022;Rajakumar, 2022).
The research approach involves a comprehensive analysis and review of existing literature. Relevant studies are identified by systematically searching academic databases and other relevant sources. The studies are evaluated based on their relevance, quality, and potential to contribute to the research themes. Findings from the studies are synthesized using a narrative approach. The theoretical