To Whom Do These Results Apply? Assessing Evidence for the Generalizability of Social and Emotional Learning Programs Among Specific Racial and Ethnic Groups

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Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are widely used, yet concerns have arisen about whether the evidence for these programs extends to students of color (SOC). The data in this study include published articles (n = 158) of trials (n = 97) of SEL interventions (n = 32) from the CASEL SELect list of evidence-based SEL programs. Using racial frames common in intervention research, we examined the extent of SOC representation in SEL intervention trials, how authors attend to race/ethnicity in their analyses, and whether and how these analyses show evidence that these programs benefit specific racial/ethnic groups. While doing so, we discuss the complex nature of race and racism in SEL research. Eight interventions provided some evidence that they benefit Black students and four showed some evidence that they benefit Hispanic/Latiné students. No trials provided evidence of benefit to any other groups of SOC. Findings suggest that while representation of SOC in SEL trials has improved, additional research is needed to understand to whom the evidence for SEL program effectiveness applies.