An adaptive machine learning framework integrating large language models to assess and enhance emotional intelligence...

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical determinant of children's socio-emotional and neurocognitive development, and deficits in EI dimensions are associated with long-term psychological and behavioral risks. Existing interventions are often static, resource-intensive, and lack personalization, interpretability and reasoning beneath the suggestions. Scalable, explainable AI approaches may help to deliver individualized and effective EI-enhancing activities.

A total of 120 children (aged 3-16 years) were recruited from the Asian region with informed consent and PGRC ethical approval (CS-00411). EI was systematically assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to identify weaker dimensions. A stacked ensemble machine learning framework then predicted suitable accurate EI-enhancing activities by incorporating child age, personal interests, and identified weak dimensions. Before generating the final recommendation, the system cross-checked highly rated activities from children with similar profiles to ensure relevance. The activity repository combined validated sources with expert-verified, LLM-generated activities, each mapped to underlying neurocognitive functions. SHAP explained predictive contributions, while LLMs translated outputs into family-friendly narratives. A reassessment module recalculated post-intervention EI scores and integrated parental feedback to dynamically refine subsequent recommendations.

Children in the experimental group demonstrated significant improvement in EI scores (p < 0.001, d = 2.58), with empathy and self-regulation showing the largest gains. Parental satisfaction was also significantly higher (p < 0.001, d = 1.88). Weak EI dimension, Interest, and Age Group emerged as the most influential predictors of activity effectiveness.

This framework directly enhances children's emotional intelligence while ensuring personalization, transparency, and neurocognitive relevance, offering a sustainable and scalable pathway for precision socio-emotional interventions with potential applications in neuropsychiatric prevention and care.