Comparative analysis of US and European preschool social and emotional learning programs

Abstract

Social-emotional skills are crucial for preschool children’s mental health and later school success. Most school-based SEL programs originate in the United States, reflecting a robust interest in SEL curricula from preschool through secondary school. While EU Member States are increasingly integrating social and emotional skills programs into school curricula, there is a lack of uniform terminologies, frameworks, and assessment criteria, necessitating the introduction of standardized practices. This study aims to offer an overview of US and European preschool SEL programs, utilizing content analysis to showcase the diversity of these programs. The analysis focuses on programs from the “EU-Self Programs for Social and Emotional Skills Development for Early and Preschool Children Applied in European Countries" by Koltcheva et al. (2022), including impact evaluations of nine programs in total. The study analysed the programs in relation to goals and outcomes, and findings reveal that there are no remarkable differences between US and European preschool SEL programs, although certain trends highlight distinctions among programs of different origins. The study will be useful for practitioners who are interested in introducing a preschool SEL program in their institution.