Social And Emotional Learning Programs Research Articles

Elements and Implications of Social and Emotional Learning in the Home Economics Education Curriculum

본 연구는 청소년기 학생들이 자신을 이해하고 타인과 건강한 관계를 맺으며 건강한 공동체를 형성할 수 있는 교육을 제공하기 위한 이론적 관점으로서 사회정서학습(SEL)에 주목하여 2015 개정 가정과 교육과정에서 드러난 사회정서학습의 의미와 핵심역량을 분석하였다. 그 결과 가정과 교육과정의 성격, 목표, 교과 역량, 핵심 개념, 일반화된 지식, 성취기준에 사회정서학습의 핵심역량이 모두 포함된 것으로 분석되었다. 이에 대한 시사점은 첫째, 학교 현장에서 따로 사회정서학습 프로그램을 도입하지 않아도 가정과수업의 명시적 교육을 통해 사회정서학습 핵심역량이 충분히 함양될 수 있다. 둘째, 가정과교육은 실천을 강조하는 교과이기 때문에 사회정서학습의 역량들을 학교 밖에서의 실제적 삶과 연계하여 적용할 수 있다. 마지막으로 사회정서학습의 최종목표인 부모와 가정과의 연계를 중시하고 건강하고 안전하며 정의로운 커뮤니티 형성은 가정과교육의 목표와 유사성이 높으므로 가정과교육을 통해 사회정서학습의 실효성을 높일 수 있다.This study focuses on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) as a theoretical perspective to provide education that enables adolescent students to understand themselves, establish healthy relationships with others, and form a healthy community. The meaning of learning and core competencies were analyzed. Results showed that the core competencies of SEL were all included in the nature, goals, subject competencies, core concepts, generalized knowledge, and achievement standards of the 2015 revised Home Economics Education (HEE) Curriculum. The implications for this are: First, the core competencies of SEL can be sufficiently cultivated through explicit education in HE classes without introducing a separate SEL program in the school field. Second, since HEE is a subject that emphasizes practice, the competencies of SEL can be applied in connection with actual life outside of school. Lastly, the effectiveness of SEL can be increased through HEE because the goals of SEL, which emphasize the connection between parents and the creation of healthy and safe community, are similar to the goals of HEE.

Toxic SEL: Beware the Temptation to Become the Compliance Police

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a process for students and adults to better understand emotions, feel, and demonstrate empathy for others, and establish and maintain positive relationships with others. It can additionally be part of the implementation of effective racial equity strategies. Unfortunately, SEL programming is far too often engineered and used as merely a means to achieve compliance and control. SEL has even become yet another way for some teachers to penalize and police underserved populations. The key concept promoted in this column for music educators is for teachers to deliberately act upon strategies that promote rather than hinder equity for underserved populations.

Antiracist and Trauma-Informed: Enhancing Social and Emotional Learning to Build Resilience

For decades, trauma and racism have been understood to be undertreated public health issues. The disproportionate impact of the global pandemic, police brutality, and hate crimes on people of color has underscored the extent to which racism intersects with trauma. Schools have the potential to be the safe space in a child’s life, and school social workers are well positioned to deliver antiracist, trauma-informed interventions to address social and emotional reactions to traumas (including racial trauma) that inevitably arise in school. This article uses our pilot of The Body’s Story (Kotzin, 2017) to illustrate the need for an intersectional approach to social and emotional teaching that actively addresses racism and trauma. It centers somatic awareness in teachings of emotions and integrates play and storytelling with a goal of enhancing internal and external resilience. The Body’s Story is a six-session manualized intervention developed to fill identified gaps in social and emotional learning (SEL) programs. SEL programs, while accessible, lack an antiracist, trauma-informed foundation. The Body’s Story was designed to be led by a social worker as a trauma-informed supplement to SEL or as an introductory stand-alone program. The central activity is a modified group storytelling technique (Paley, 1991) in which students collaborate to create and perform short stories that build on a session theme. Lessons, activities, and discussions facilitate students building self-awareness, learning to trust sensations in their body, and acknowledging the connection to emotion. Session structure is predictable, with clear boundaries to build safety while encouraging freedom to express, connect, and play.

A Rasch analysis of a rubric that measures the quality of school‐level variables that support a school's implementation of a social and emotional learning program over time

AbstractA Rasch analysis was conducted to assess a rubric that measures the quality of school‐level variables that support the implementation of a social and emotional learning (SEL) program. SEL planning teams from 84 schools rated the quality of school‐level variables (e.g., principal support, available funds, and resources) that support the implementation of an SEL program in their schools. A Rasch analysis suggested that the rubric was a two‐dimensional solution, Planning and Activity. Ratings were collected for 3 years. Cluster analysis demonstrated that there were five groups of schools with different trends in their implementation process. The analysis demonstrated that the rubric can be improved by revising items and writing additional items to measure the full range of implementation quality.

Working Together: Leveraging Teacher Study Groups to Improve Social and Emotional Learning in the Classroom

Teachers of students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) may face obstacles and feel isolated when implementing social and emotional learning (SEL) programming with students. The teacher study group (TSG) offers an effective way to overcome barriers and improve SEL. These groups provide a gathering space for teachers to investigate problems of practice, celebrate points of pride, and strengthen professional learning in a focused area. In this article, we summarize existing research on SEL and TSGs and describe available SEL programs that incorporate TSGs. We provide an example of SEL-focused TSGs in practice, offering guidance and tips for early elementary school teachers—and the administrators who support them—who work with students with or at risk for EBD.

Implementation of a Brief Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group in High Schools for At-Risk Youth: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

BackgroundAdolescence is a developmental period marked by engagement in risk-taking behaviors, especially among impulsive or emotionally dysregulated youth. Thus, interventions that teach skills to reduce the risk of negative outcomes associated with emotional dysregulation are required. Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs have been developed to address both adolescent emotional dysregulation and risk-taking behaviors; however, current programs have mostly been implemented among younger youth and are used as a tier 1 universal intervention rather than a targeted tier 2 intervention for youth identified with emotional regulation difficulties.ObjectiveThis study aimed to address the need for SEL programming that can be delivered in schools, particularly for older youth who have difficulties with emotional or behavioral dysregulation, to reduce the risk of health-risk behaviors among this population.MethodsHere, we outline the implementation of an SEL intervention titled Going 4 Goals, a 9-session adaptation of the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) program delivered to at-risk high school students in a school setting. The primary objectives of the study are to test whether participating in the skills group intervention produces significant increases in the core DBT-A skills of mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, while also producing significant decreases in substance use and risky behaviors. These primary outcomes are based on changes in participant scores between baseline and after the intervention and follow-ups at 1, 3, and 6 months compared with a control group of youth participating in the school’s health curriculum at the same time points. Qualitative interviews will also be conducted with intervention participants and school staff to examine acceptability and facilitators of and barriers to the intervention.ResultsA total of 171 participants across 13 groups had been enrolled in the intervention, with data collection ending December 2021. Data analysis will begin in the spring of 2022, with expected results to be published in the spring of 2023.ConclusionsThis paper describes the protocol of the 9-session school-based adaptation of the DBT-A intervention and discusses the strengths and limitations of the study and future directions.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/32490

Making a Case for Core Components: New Frontiers in SEL Theory, Research, and Practice

Although Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is seen to benefit children and youth, evidence is largely built on summative trials of programmes, with little comparative insight into the specific approaches that underpin SEL. The current study sought to highlight a hitherto underutilized approach in identifying common SEL practices through the identification of “core components”. Both instructional (“how” SEL is taught) and practice-based (“what” SEL is taught) elements were examined across 13 elementary level evidence-based programmes through a method of distillation of skills and practices. Findings showed a discrepancy between theorized SEL and identified components, consistent with emergent literature. Further, the study is the first to cross-examine practice and instruction elements, linking prevalent pedagogical approaches to specific SEL skills. The implications for core components as an approach are discussed in respect to a refinement of theory, considerations for teaching practices, and recommendations for the design of future research in SEL evaluation. Impact Statement This paper is an early step in addressing what “key ingredients” may underpin effective SEL provision in respect to the “what” and “how” of content and its associated pedagogy. In doing so, the paper highlights some novel findings, including the extent to which specific competencies are typically presented in SEL programming in comparison to theory, and what instructional practices are related to specific competencies in practice. This has implications for the specificity of programme design and flexibility in delivery, alongside important enhancements to SEL theory and research, maximising the benefit of SEL.

Nuestra Escuela, Nuestras Voces (Our School, Our Voices): Using Photovoice to Understand and Promote Compassion in Schools

ABSTRACT It is important that children obtain not only academic knowledge but also skills to express emotion and sustain relationships. Fostering school communities that embody and teach compassion is increasingly recognized as an important component of many social and emotional learning (SEL) approaches. To generate SEL programs that are inclusive of diverse perspectives, it is critical to center community expertise. We engaged the framework of community-based participatory research (CBPR) to elicit Latina mothers’ perspectives on compassion in their lives and in their children’s school community. We used Photovoice, an art-based participatory action approach, in which participants were invited to create photographs that expressed their understanding of compassion. A subset of participants also participated in semi-structured exit interviews. The photographs, captions, and interviews were analyzed qualitatively. The results were conceptualized in terms of the themes of “definitions and conceptualization of compassion,” “family and community,” “communication,” and “nature.” Findings from this study inform an understanding of compassion focused SEL programs and implications for practice in schools through the cultural wealth of Latina mothers.

ENHANCING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE & SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) WITH THE BRAIN ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (“BTE”)

Social Emotional Learning is a core competency in the coming future as mankind has created and invented a gadget, device or an app for almost most of technical and knowledge-based needs. Especially during the pandemic, the need for SEL programs becomes a necessity. The important process then remains to create individuals with sensitivity to navigate in such endowed systems, without feeling too powerful or at the polar end without feeling disconnected. It is undeniable society at large will be living with this sense of having the world at their fingertips! It is exactly because of this reason that it is necessary to be socially emotionally adjusted to co-exist with many such equally gifted or talented people around oneself. At the same time the children are exposed to the fast-paced world and ever demanding need to excel and perform better academically. The Brain Training Enhancement Program (“BTE”) is a scientifically designed well researched program using Neurofeedback to improve the brain ability of students in competitive exams. The A pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design was used to test the impact of a 10-week, online-based social and emotional learning (SEL) intervention, Brain Training Enhancement Program (“BTE”), on the academic performance and social and emotional competence of 12th grade students (N =82) in two classrooms in one school. Academic performance was assessed by report card grades done in the immediate past and immediately post intervention. Social and emotional competence was assessed with Psychometric Analysis and QEEG Measurements. Students in classrooms integrating BTE program had higher year-end grades and higher scores of social and emotional competences (e.g., Engagement, Self-Regulation, and Focus) compared to students in the comparison group. This study provides preliminary empirical evidence that SEL programs like BTE improve important student outcomes.

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.

Innovations in Social and Emotional Learning Research and Practice: Building from Evidence and Applying Behavioral Insights to the Design of a Social and Emotional Learning Intervention in Northeast Nigeria.

Recent studies suggest that social and emotional learning (SEL) programming has the potential to be effective in conflict-affected regions, yet evidence is limited, and findings to date are mixed. One hypothesis about why SEL interventions in education in emergencies (EiE) settings have not generated the anticipated results is that the SEL content and materials have not been sufficiently localized to the context, leading to poor cultural relevance or fit. A second hypothesis is that SEL program demands tend to be high and capacity for implementation is low, undermining sustainability and impact. The current study addresses these challenges by investing in locally driven SEL content and design as a way to ensure that SEL materials are grounded in local values and needs, culturally appropriate, relevant to the specific context, and feasible to implement. The study draws on the developmental and prevention sciences as well as the field of behavioral insights to test evidence-based interventions intended to encourage desired behaviors around uptake and implementation. This paper documents the activities conducted during the project’s design phase, including landscape research, creation of initial prototypes, design workshops and rapid prototyping, and field testing. Findings suggest that using local values, practices, and framing in SEL programming increases relevance and appropriateness for the Northeast Nigeria setting. Furthermore, targeted behavioral insights interventions increased the uptake, habitual and regular use, as well as correct implementation of SEL activities. The findings contribute to the emerging literature on the cultural variability of SEL and the need to consider the context when designing and implementing programs in any setting.

Un análisis a nivel nacional de la efectividad de un programa de aprendizaje socioemocional en Portugal: enfoque sobre el papel de la participación de los creadores

The current study was the first to analyze the effectiveness of Positive Attitude Secondary School (PASS) Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program upon the self-perceptions (social, academic, and emotional self-concept and self-esteem) of secondary school students, with a nationwide sample. The study also compared how different levels of developers’ involvement (defined as “led“, “involved“or “independent“) in program implementation influenced its effectiveness. Nine-hundred-nighty-five participants (7th to 9th grade; Mage = 12.95, SD = 1.70) participated in this study, 789 students (37 classes) received the PASS SEL program and 206 (nine classes) took part in the control groups. The program was implemented by the programs’ developers in the programs’ original setting (Torres Vedras); by another team in another municipality (Cadaval), where the program has been implemented in the last two years (“involved“); and by new teams in six Gulbenkian Academies of Knowledge spread throughout Portugal (“independent“). Self-report questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention. The results from the repeated measures MANOVAs showed that students who participated in the PASS SEL program displayed statistically significant larger gains in social self-concept and self-esteem when compared with students from the control group. However, there were no statistically significant differences in program effectiveness between the different level of developers’ involvement in the implementation of the PASS SEL program. Altogether, the results support the effectiveness of the PASS SEL program in enhancing self-perceptions, even with different levels of developers’ involvement, which indicates the program is ready for further dissemination.

RETRACTED: Role of art programs in young children’s social-emotional learning

• There is direct correlation between emotional knowledge and arts participation. • The knowledge of emotions has a direct relationship with art training. • SEL programs focus on student readiness for academic, than on social, performance. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between arts participation and social-emotional development of 300 preschool children (4 to 5 years) in Wuhan (China). Children received improvisation classes, sessions where they were asked to listen to and discuss music, and typical art lessons. Children were administered the Emotional Matching Test and the Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional. This study demonstrates that arts education affects preschool-age children's knowledge of emotions and social-emotional competence. The results showed a direct strong correlation between emotional knowledge and arts education with the correlation coefficient ranging from 0.718 to 0.8923. The findings of this study may be useful in designing programs for kindergartens to prevent psychosocial development delays and behavioural problems in children that are related to insufficient knowledge of emotions. Future research will benefit from the comparative study of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs, extracurricular social-emotional skills training, and SEL integrated into lessons.

A nationwide analysis of the effectiveness of a Social and Emotional Learning program in Portugal: Focus on the role of developers’ involvement

The current study was the first to analyze the effectiveness of Positive Attitude Secondary School (PASS) Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program upon the self-perceptions (social, academic, and emotional self-concept and self-esteem) of secondary school students, with a nationwide sample. The study also compared how different levels of developers’ involvement (defined as “led”, “involved” or “independent”) in program implementation influenced its effectiveness. Nine-hundred-nighty-five participants (7th to 9th grade; Mage=12.95, SD=1.70) participated in this study, 789 students (37 classes) received the PASS SEL program and 206 (nine classes) took part in the control groups. The program was implemented by the programs’ developers in the programs’ original setting (Torres Vedras); by another team in another municipality (Cadaval), where the program has been implemented in the last two years (“involved”); and by new teams in six Gulbenkian Academies of Knowledge spread throughout Portugal (“independent”). Self-report questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention. The results from the repeated measures MANOVAs showed that students who participated in the PASS SEL program displayed statistically significant larger gains in social self-concept and self-esteem when compared with students from the control group. However, there were no statistically significant differences in program effectiveness between the different level of developers’ involvement in the implementation of the PASS SEL program. Altogether, the results support the effectiveness of the PASS SEL program in enhancing self-perceptions, even with different levels of developers’ involvement, which indicates the program is ready for further dissemination.

Social and emotional learning in early childhood education and care: a public health perspective

Social and emotional learning in early childhood education and care: a public health perspective

Teacher Perceptions of Skills, Knowledge, and Resources Needed to Promote Social and Emotional Learning in Rural Classrooms

The incorporation of social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools has been shown to improve academic and psychological health of students. Research has been limited regarding implementation of SEL programs in rural communities, where student needs are heightened. The current study examined factors that could impact teachers’ intentions to be early adopters of a SEL curriculum in a rural community. Seventy-six teachers provided self-report data regarding perceptions of professional strengths, school climate, school resources for student support, ability to educate diverse students, ability to teach specific SEL domains, and intentions to be an early adopter of a SEL program. Present results indicated positive perceptions of school climate, one’s ability to teach diverse students, and one’s ability to teach self-management skills positively predicted intentions to be an early adopter of a SEL curriculum. Implications for rural schools are explored and recommendations for adoption of SEL curricula in rural schools are provided.

Perceptions of Directly Targeting SEL Learning Skills in Public Education

Social and emotional learning (SEL) has garnered increasing attention across education over the last decade. The continual decline in the mental health of students in PK-12 education, in light of the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has forced school districts nationwide to re-examine their reliance on student performance data as measured by high-stakes standardized tests. This is particularly true for students in underserved populations who were among the greatest impacted. Many schools in districts across the nation have begun to examine SEL and its impact on student performance. Despite numerous studies highlighting the benefits of SEL programming, school administrators and teachers still struggle with implementing the practices in their classrooms and campuses. This research sought to identify current perceptions of SEL held by public school practitioners. Practitioner understanding of SEL was based on a ranking of key SEL skills needed for student success. Perceptions regarding potential barriers and with whom the responsibility for directly targeting SEL skills lies were also examined. A non-experimental survey design was utilized to compare data between two groups of public education practitioners: teachers and administrative staff. Overall, it was determined that educators, for the most part, agree on what SEL skills make a student successful; however, reported barriers to implementation and designation of the individual responsible for directly teaching SEL skills differed between the two groups.

A pilot feasibility study of an adapted social and emotional learning intervention in an alternative school

Students who attend alternative schools are disproportionally at risk for adverse environmental, familial, and personal experiences that can lead to unrecognized learning problems, low academic achievement, mental health concerns, substance abuse, and legal involvement. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs include evidence-based interventions that increase students’ academic and behavioral performance, and improve mental health and well-being. However, there is a lack of literature focused on implementing SEL interventions in alternative school settings. Given the benefits of SEL interventions and the significant needs of students who attend alternative schools, we examined the feasibility of implementing an adapted SEL intervention in an alternative school setting. We present the findings and provide recommendations to improve implementation of future SEL programs in alternative schools.

Examination of the effectiveness of Neuroscience-Informed Child Education (NICE) within Japanese school settings

Social innovation in mental health education is imperative in Japan. Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety disorders among Japanese children that may compromise their education and future occupational performances have become prevalent. Accordingly, the early prevention of mental health problems with cognitive-behavioral oriented Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs, which have mostly been developed in western countries, have been implemented. However, studies have revealed that cognitive-behavioral oriented programs tend to have limited efficacies within the Japanese context due to culturally unique challenges such as low confidence and time and resource constraints. Research in neuroscience has found that cognitive oriented top-down approaches that focus on cognitive change predominantly may not be developmentally appropriate for Japanese children. Consequently, the efficacy and feasibility of a neuroscience-informed child education (NICE) program was developed and examined in this study to address the demands of the Japanese school context by integrating neuroscientific perspectives into a cognitive-behavioral oriented school-based SEL program. Teachers and first-grade students (6–7 years old) were divided into two groups. In the program group, teachers conducted an eight-session NICE program during 20-minute after-class periods. In the information group, teachers applied the approach and skills in daily class management. While the students completed questionnaires regarding their class adjustment and social support awareness at three-time points, the teachers assessed students’ behaviors, including difficulties and prosocial behavior. The results supported the efficacy of the NICE program for promoting psychological well-being and increasing social support awareness and prosocial behaviors among Japanese students.

Examining Teacher Dispositions for Evidence of (Transformative) Social and Emotional Competencies with Black Boys: The Case of Three Urban High School Teachers

Drawing from a larger study of teacher empathy, this article offers a critical race analysis of three teachers’ dispositions to discern (a) their social and emotional competencies (SEC) and (b) evidence of transformative social and emotional learning (SEL). Data sources include one-on-one teacher interviews, focus groups, document analyses, and more than 1,500 minutes of video-recorded classroom observations. Findings illustrate the influence of race, identity, and one’s conceptions of power for determining transformative expressions of teacher participants’ SEC. Implications for creating the conditions to effectively design and facilitate transformative SEL programming in urban school settings are discussed.