Emotional Learning Curriculum Research Articles

Academic Success of Collegiate Athletes and Social and Emotional Learning

College student-athletes represent a unique sub-population of college students with several competing responsibilities to fulfill. While institutions of higher education have historically used standardized test scores and GPA as predictors of students’ academic success, there have been shifts to include non-cognitive, social and emotional factors in this predictive model. Social and emotional skills can be developed. Research has shown that implementing social and emotional learning curriculum has positive impacts on academic achievement, student attitudes about learning, and the creation of prosocial behaviors. These benefits contribute to increased student persistence, retention, and graduation rates. While the connection between social and emotional learning and academic achievement is well documented, there is a lack of research and practical application of social and emotional learning curriculum in higher education with collegiate student-athletes. Advisors, academic support personnel, coaches, and athletic administrators who understand student-athletes’ social and emotional capabilities can use this understanding to help holistically develop student-athletes. Breaking down siloed, departmental operations within higher education and sharing information to work collaboratively for the good of student-athletes can lead to higher academic achievement, better on-field performance, and graduates with the necessary soft skills to succeed in a competitive job market.

Aligning Classroom Management Strategies with a Social Emotional Learning Curriculum in Early Childhood

Aligning Classroom Management Strategies with a Social Emotional Learning Curriculum in Early Childhood

Testing the impact of a skill-targeted social and emotional learning curriculum and its variation by pre- and postmigration conflict experiences: A cluster randomized trial with Syrian refugee children in Lebanon.

Testing the impact of a skill-targeted social and emotional learning curriculum and its variation by pre- and postmigration conflict experiences: A cluster randomized trial with Syrian refugee children in Lebanon.

Welcome to Our Class! Building Classroom Rapport to Support the Development of Social and Emotional Learning Skills

In this article, we describe practical, usable ways teachers can build rapport with students, particularly students with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. By establishing rapport, teachers can increase the effectiveness of the social and emotional learning curriculum and interventions delivered. Specifically, the warm welcomes, transitions, emotion checks, two by 10, and optimistic closures strategies are described.

Culturally Adapted Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Support for Black Male Learners

Black learners, like all other learners, bring their cultural values into the classroom, how they express themselves, and how they problem-solve. In addition, their life experiences influence their social and emotional behaviors. This study examined the effects of a multicomponent intervention approach—including a culturally adapted social and emotional learning curriculum, check-in/check-out, and self-monitoring—on the externalizing behaviors of Black male learners in an urban elementary school. A multiple-baseline-across-classes, single-case, experimental design evaluated the effects of the intervention package. Results from the study show a consistent decrease in externalizing problem behaviors, increases in social and emotional competencies, and high levels of social validity for the intervention package based on the input of relevant stakeholders. An embedded alternating-treatment, single-case design explored the relative impact of self-monitoring. The authors also include a discussion of the limitations of this work and the implications for future research.

Supplemental Material for Testing the Impact of a Skill-Targeted Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum and Its Variation by Pre- and Postmigration Conflict Experiences: A Cluster Randomized Trial With Syrian Refugee Children in Lebanon

Supplemental Material for Testing the Impact of a Skill-Targeted Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum and Its Variation by Pre- and Postmigration Conflict Experiences: A Cluster Randomized Trial With Syrian Refugee Children in Lebanon

Influence of Social Emotional Learning Curriculum on Preschoolers’ Mental Health in School-Setting: A Mixed-Methods Study

Influence of Social Emotional Learning Curriculum on Preschoolers’ Mental Health in School-Setting: A Mixed-Methods Study

Teachers, Stress, and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis.

The 2020–2021 academic year brought numerous challenges to teachers across the country as they worked to educate students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study is a secondary data analysis of qualitative responses collected as part of a teacher survey to evaluate a social emotional learning curriculum implemented during the 2020–2021 academic year. The lived experiences of teachers (N = 52) across 11 elementary schools in the Great Plains region were captured through open-ended questions as the teachers transitioned from in-person to remote learning. A phenomenological approach was utilized to analyze the challenges expressed by teachers as they faced instability and additional professional demands. Given that stress and other factors that strain mental health exist within multiple layers of an individual's social ecology, a modified social-ecological framework was used to organize the results and themes. Findings suggest that during the academic year, teachers experienced stressors related to their personal and professional roles, concerns for students’ well-being which extended beyond academics, and frustrations with administration and other institutional entities around COVID safety measures. Without adequate support and inclusion of teacher perspectives, job-related stress may lead to teacher shortages, deterioration of teacher mental health, and ultimately worse outcomes for students. Implications for policy, research, and practice are discussed.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12310-022-09533-2.

Improving School Readiness for a Social Emotional Learning Curriculum: Case Study of a School-Mental Health Agency Partnership

ABSTRACT This case study examined the first two years of adult preparation or “readiness” for an elementary school’s adoption and implementation of a trauma-informed, social emotional learning (SEL) universal curriculum. SEL programming served as a key lever for improving the academic growth and achievement of students over a 3-year period. The primary objective of the current study was to identify the process used to increase the school’s capacity for implementing and sustaining an SEL program. Study 1 examined the utility of a needs assessment conducted in year 1 as a measure of school readiness, which included a leadership questionnaire, observations of school/classroom climate, and focus groups with school community leaders and teachers. Results informed school strengths and key areas for improving capacity to support an SEL program, including indicators of positive climate, expertise-building among teachers and staff, aligning resources and disciplinary policies, and identifying SEL standards. This information guided the types of professional development implemented in year 2. Using artifact review and focus groups, study 2 examined whether the year 2 professional development assisted in improving the targeted school capacities. Most areas indicated improvement, and the changes are likely critical first steps for effectively implementing and sustaining an SEL program.

Evaluation of the SPARK Child Mentoring Program: A Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum for Elementary School Students

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs seek to enhance social and emotional competencies in children, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. By means of direct instruction regarding social and emotional competencies, SEL programs have the potential to strengthen resilience in children and thus their capacity to effectively cope with life’s challenges. Strengthening resilience in children who are repeatedly exposed to adverse experiences, particularly those from economically disadvantaged minority backgrounds, is of particular importance and has implications for the prevention of a multitude of problems later in life. Our study reports the result of an investigation of the SPARK Child Mentoring program, a resilience-focused SEL program designed to reduce risk factors, uncover innate resilience, promote natural emotional well-being, and facilitate school success. We employed a randomized controlled trial comprising 94 elementary school students that included pre- and post-intervention measurements. After controlling for pre-intervention levels, we found a significant difference between students’ understanding of underlying program principles; communication, decision making, and problem-solving skills; emotional regulation; and resilience for students who received the intervention compared to students who did not receive the intervention. These results provide initial evidence for the efficacy of the SPARK Child Mentoring program with a diverse sample of elementary school students and adds to the existing literature base concerning positive outcomes associated with SEL programs. We discuss implications for future research focused on long-term preventive effects of the program and the characteristics of students most likely to benefit from it.

Examining the Relationships among Cognitive Ability, Domain-Specific Self-Concept, and Behavioral Self-Esteem of Gifted Children Aged 5-6 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Although childhood is a critical period of development during which all children begin a lifelong process of self-discovery that shapes their identities, few studies have focused on the self-concept and self-esteem of young, gifted children. This study recruited 108 gifted children aged 5–6 years from Greece and their preschool teachers to explore the relationships among cognitive ability, domain-specific self-concepts, and global self-esteem. The Pictorial Scale for Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance was used to assess the domain-specific self-concepts of the participants, whereas behavioral manifestations of self-esteem were rated by the children’s teachers using the Behavioral Academic Self-Esteem Scale. There were positive correlations among IQ, perceived scholastic competence, and global self-esteem. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that significant predictors of global self-esteem were male gender, higher IQ, perceived scholastic competence, and perceived maternal acceptance. Additionally, there were gender differences in global self-esteem and perceived physical competence in favor of boys, whereas perceived maternal acceptance favored girls. This article discusses the need for practitioners working with gifted children to enact a comprehensive social–emotional learning curriculum in schools that promotes academic as well as personal and character strengths. Finally, the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also presented.

Teachers’ Acceptance of a Psychodynamically Based Schoolwide Mental Health Consultation Program

We report on a novel mental health classroom consultation program that is guided by psychodynamic principles rather than a scripted curriculum or manualized program. Based on each teacher’s needs and existing skills, consultants may divide their time among meeting with teachers, directly intervening with students, referring parents for services, and helping teachers implement a social–emotional learning curriculum. Throughout, they strive to build trusting relationships and promote mentalization with teachers as well as with students. Given the unusual design of this program model, it was important to assess teacher acceptance. A 2-year pilot in three high-poverty New York City schools assigned some classrooms to consultants and others to a comparison group. Results revealed that teachers who received consultation reported good relationships with their consultants. They reported that of all activities performed, consultants helped most by co-teaching the social–emotional curriculum. Furthermore, compared to teachers in a comparison group, those receiving consultation improved their self-efficacy with respect to promoting social–emotional competence, knowing effective strategies for dealing with behavioral challenges, and communicating with mental health providers. This model shows promise in light of high teacher acceptance.

Using qualitative research to explore intervention mechanisms: findings from the trial of the Learning Together whole-school health intervention

BackgroundThis study reports on qualitative research conducted within a randomised controlled trial to explore possible intervention mechanisms. It focuses on the ‘Learning Together’ whole-school intervention delivered in secondary schools in England from 2014 to 2017 aiming to prevent bullying and aggression and improve student health. Intervention schools received staff training in restorative practice, a social and emotional learning curriculum, and an external facilitator and manual to convene and run a student/staff action group tasked with coordinating the intervention, focusing this on local needs.MethodsInformed by realist approaches to evaluation, we analysed qualitative data to explore intervention mechanisms and how these might interact with school contexts to generate outcomes. Qualitative analysis drew on 45 interviews and 21 focus groups across three case-study schools and employed thematic content analysis to explore how intervention resources were taken up and used by local actors, how participants described the intervention mechanisms that then ensued, and how these might have generated beneficial outcomes.ResultsThe thematic content analysis identified three social mechanisms that recurred in participant accounts: (1) building student commitment to the school community, (2) building healthy relationships by modelling and teaching pro-social skills, and (3) de-escalating bullying and aggression and enabling re-integration within the school community.ConclusionsOur analysis provides in-depth exploration of possible mechanisms and the contextual contingencies associated with these, allowing refinement of the initial intervention theory of change.Trial registrationISRCTN registry 10751359. Registered on 11 March 2014

CONTENT ANALYSIS OF SEVERAL PRESCHOOL PROGRAM SYSTEMS IN THE DOMAIN OF EMOTIONS – THE CASE OF BULGARIA

Nowadays the emotional intelligence has an important place in education from early age as it is viewed as a key to future academic success and social achievements. Currently there is no existent and approved social and emotional learning curriculum in Bulgaria and the emotional education is integrated within the curriculums of the main subjects (maths, music, art, literature etc.). In this report several preschool curriculums have been investigated. The Ekman’s model of basic emotions (joy, sadness, disgust, fear, anger, surprise) is adopted in the current study and content analysis reveals the exact occurrence of words for emotions with their synonyms and derivatives. An analysis on the student’s workbooks reveals the occurrence of emotional images (human faces, faces of impersonated animals or objects, emoji’s). The results obtained are a baseline for evaluating to what extend the idea of emotions is being integrated. They suggest the need of a separate curriculum on emotions. Article DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.20319/pijtel.2018.31.146163 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

Teaching a Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum: Transformative Learning through the Parallel Process

Social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum included among freshman seminar content for enhanced academic performance and better overall adjustment, can support freshman in the transition from high school to college. As such, the university participating in this study has increased the number of students taking freshman seminars. To accommodate the increase in SEL sections, several nonclinical faculty members were invited to teach the seminar which required training in the SEL curriculum. The purpose of this study was an exploratory assessment of the process of teaching the SEL curriculum to determine the perceived impact of both the training and teaching experience on the faculty members and their teaching styles. This was a qualitative study, using a systematic thematic content analysis of transcribed interviews. Results indicated the emergence of several themes that highlighted a transformative learning experience for the faculty and indicated that there is a parallel process in teaching and learning.

A mixed‐methods study of a social emotional curriculum for Black male success: A school‐based pilot study of the Brothers of Ujima

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a social emotional learning curriculum, Brothers of Ujima, for children at risk for being referred for placement in emotional and behavioral support classrooms. The Brothers of Ujima is a strength‐based culturally relevant intervention for African American boys aged 10–14. The purpose of the 14‐week program is to strengthen positive self‐esteem, ethnic identity, and prosocial behaviors while reducing negative behaviors among boys. The curriculum objectives are for boys to critically assess myths and stereotypes of African Americans presented in the media, to help boys develop creative thinking and leadership skills, to increase appreciation of African and African American culture, and to learn adaptive coping skills when faced with discrimination. This study is the first to evaluate this curriculum in a school‐based setting. Fourteen 6th‐ and 7th‐grade students participated in the intervention. Results show that males demonstrated an increase in Afrocentric values, but not in racial identity or resiliency. Teacher interviews showed that the intervention was feasible for a school setting; however, modifications to format and lessons content should be undertaken for future studies.

Initiating change locally in bullying and aggression through the school environment (INCLUSIVE) trial: update to cluster randomised controlled trial protocol

BackgroundSystematic reviews suggest that multi-component interventions are effective in reducing bullying victimisation and perpetration. We are undertaking a phase III randomised trial of the INCLUSIVE multi-component intervention. This trial aims to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the INCLUSIVE intervention in reducing aggression and bullying victimisation in English secondary schools. This paper updates the original trial protocol published in 2014 (Trials 15:381, 2014) and presents the changes in the process evaluation protocol and the secondary outcome data collection.MethodsThe methods are summarised as follows.Design: cluster randomised trial.Participants: 40 state secondary schools. Outcomes assessed among the cohort of students at the end of year 7 (n = 6667) at baseline.Intervention: INCLUSIVE is a multi-component school intervention including a social and emotional learning curriculum, changes to school environment (an action group comprising staff and students reviews local data on needs to review rules and policies and determine other local actions) and staff training in restorative practice. The intervention will be delivered by schools supported in the first two years by educational facilitators independent of the research team, with a third intervention year involving no external facilitation but all other elements.Comparator: normal practice.Outcomes:Primary: Two primary outcomes at student level assessed at baseline and at 36 months:Aggressive behaviours in school: Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions and Crime school misbehaviour subscale (ESYTC)Bullying and victimisation: Gatehouse Bullying Scale (GBS)Secondary outcomes assessed at baseline, 24 and 36 months will include measures relating to the economic evaluation, psychosocial outcomes in students and staff and school-level truancy and exclusion rates.Sample size: 20 schools per arm will provide 90% power to identify an effect size of 0.25 SD with a 5% significance level.Randomisation: eligible consenting schools were randomised stratified for single-sex versus mixed-sex schools, school-level deprivation and measures of school attainment.DiscussionThe trial involves independent research and intervention teams and is supervised by a Trial Steering Committee and a Data Monitoring Committee.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials, ISRCTN10751359. Registered on 11 March 2014.

Fulfilling Their Dreams: Marginalized Urban Youths' Perspectives on a Culturally Sensitive Social and Emotional Learning Program

ABSTRACTA growing body of research suggests educators need to focus on cultivating social and emotional competencies that youth will need to thrive in the new knowledge economy (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011). For marginalized urban youth, in particular, few have derived programs and interventions to assist with these competencies. This study illuminates the perspectives of 9 African American youth at risk for academic failure taking part in the Fulfill the Dream (FTD) program. FTD is a social and emotional learning curriculum emphasizing social justice and critical consciousness through the utilization of hip-hop culture. Information regarding the nature of the collaboration of this research project and recommendations for education professionals working with marginalized youth are discussed.

PATHS in Croatia: A school-based randomised-controlled trial of a social and emotional learning curriculum.

This study represents the first rigorous evaluation of a social-emotional learning curriculum, PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies; Kusché & Greenberg, 1994), in elementary schools in Croatia. This study randomly assigned 29 schools to receive the universal preventive intervention or continue with usual practices. Within those schools, this study included 57 classrooms and 568 children. Teachers rated nine child behaviours in the middle of first grade (pre-intervention) and near the end of second grade (post-intervention). Hierarchical linear models, nesting children within classrooms, revealed few changes in behaviour across the sample as a whole or among higher risk children. However, there were changes on eight of the nine behaviours for lower risk children. The findings are considered in the context of the classroom culture and teachers' preparation and readiness to implement a social-emotional learning curriculum in Croatia. This study highlights the need to supplement universal preventive interventions with selective preventive interventions that can provide more intensive and targeted skill practice for higher risk children. This study also highlights the nuanced effects of a universal preventive intervention in helping different children in different ways.

How Do School-Based Prevention Programs Impact Teachers? Findings from a Randomized Trial of an Integrated Classroom Management and Social-Emotional Program.

A number of classroom-based interventions have been developed to improve social and behavioral outcomes for students, yet few studies have examined how these programs impact the teachers who are implementing them. Impacts on teachers may affect students and therefore also serve as an important proximal outcome to examine. The current study draws upon data from a school-based randomized controlled trial testing the impact of two prevention programs. In one intervention condition, teachers were trained in the classroom behavior management program, PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG). In a second intervention condition, teachers were trained to use an integrated program, referred to as PATHS to PAX, of the PAX GBG and a social and emotional learning curriculum called Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS©). This study aimed to determine whether both interventions positively impacted teachers, with a particular interest in the teachers' own beliefs and perceptions regarding self-efficacy, burnout, and social-emotional competence. The sample included 350 K-5 teachers across 27 schools (18 schools randomized to intervention, 9 to control). Multilevel latent growth curve analyses indicated that the PATHS to PAX condition generally demonstrated the most benefits to teachers, relative to both the control and PAX GBG conditions. These findings suggest that school-based preventive interventions can have a positive impact on teachers' beliefs and perceptions, particularly when the program includes a social-emotional component. Several possible mechanisms might account for the added benefit to teachers. Additional research is needed to better understand how these programs impact teachers, as well as students.