Social-emotional Learning Curricula Research Articles

Enhancing outcomes: Culturally adapted social-emotional and behavioral interventions for rural black elementary learners at risk.

Educators are responsible for supporting positive school experiences for all students, including those with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Students with or at risk for EBD experience multiple negative outcomes impacting their school years, and these negative outcomes extend past graduation. Social and emotional learning programs are being used by schools to build students' competency in areas designed to help them successfully manage the school environment and life in general. However, studies have not provided evidence that universal social-emotional learning (SEL) programs are effective for Black students. This study provides data on the efficacy of an intervention package comprised of the Strong Kids SEL Program and a Tier 2 culturally adapted check-in/check-out (CICO) with Black students in a rural district in an underserved community. Cultural adaptations presented for the SEL curriculum were based on developers' recommendations and teacher feedback from prior studies and incorporated focus groups. Behavior management support in the form of a culturally adapted CICO was provided to participants exhibiting externalizing behaviors disruptive to the learning process. Results indicated a functional relation between the intervention package culturally adapted (SEL + CICO) and a decrease in student rate of externalizing behavior and strong social validity across teachers and students. Hierarchical linear modeling showed a statistically significant decrease in externalizing behavior from baseline to intervention phases, with data suggesting the moderator of grade-level explained variability in the effectiveness of the intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Systematic review of culturally adapted SEL interventions for racially and ethnically minoritized preschool children

Social-emotional skills are a growing area of focus for early childhood educators due to their contributions to young children's school readiness and long-term positive outcomes. Current research also highlights the need to confront biases leading to the overestimation of challenging behaviors in racially and ethnically minoritized children. When enacted into policy and practices, biases and overestimation of challenging behaviors result in disproportional, exclusionary disciplinary practices towards children from racially minoritized and economically marginalized backgrounds in early childhood educational settings. Thus, it is necessary to select and implement social-emotional learning interventions that have been designed for or culturally adapted to meet specific needs of children from these backgrounds. In the present study, we uncovered the characteristics of social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions that have been designed or culturally adapted for racially and ethnically minoritized preschool-aged children (ages 3–5 years). Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines with no restrictions on study dates, we conducted a systematic review of the literature. Our results indicate the implementation of culturally adapted SEL programs among preschool-age children from racially and ethnically minoritized backgrounds is in the preliminary stages with only six studies meeting inclusionary criteria. Overall, children demonstrated improved outcomes after participation in SEL programs. There were significant variations in the SEL curricula used. Frequent types of adaptions included reviewing the program from the original intervention, ensuring that the intervention is delivered in children's home language, and selecting or training qualified implementers.

Exploring Teachers’ Perception and Practices About the Provision of Social-Emotional Learning at Primary Grades in Karachi, Pakistan

The current study aimed to explore how teachers perceive the term Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in primary grades. This research also explored the practices of provision of SEL at schools from the lens of school heads and teachers. The research design adopted for the study was qualitative, and a purposive sampling technique was used to identify two school systems where SEL is taught formally as a subject in Karachi, Pakistan. To collect the perceptions, practices, and experiences of SEL teaching, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with the teachers and school heads from these schools. Tools used for the semi-structured in-depth interviews were reviewed by the schools’ educational psychologists. The findings indicate that teachers considered SEL as the driving force to ensure academic improvement and behavior management. SEL is also found to improve the physical and mental well-being of the students. The practices adopted by the school for the provision of SEL include innovative teaching methodologies, curriculum designing and monitoring, professional development, assessment, parental involvement, and integration of SEL with different subjects. Overall, the factors found associated with the SEL in primary grades are embedding SEL in school culture, involvement of all stakeholders, encouraging the school environment, and implanting SEL competencies in the SEL curriculum.

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

Item response theory analysis of self-reported social–emotional learning competencies in an Australian population cohort aged 11 years.

Childhood social and emotional competencies are recognized as teachable skills affecting well-being and developmental outcomes across the life span. This study sought to develop and validate a brief self-report measure of social-emotional competencies in middle childhood. The study used items from the 2015 Middle Childhood Survey, administered to a representative subsample of the New South Wales Child Development Study cohort, comprising sixth grade students (n = 26,837; aged 11-12 years) attending primary school in New South Wales, Australia. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses assessed the latent structure of social-emotional competencies, and item response theory and construct validity analyses evaluated the reliability, validity, and psychometric properties of the derived measure. A correlated five-factor model outperformed other latent structures (one-factor, higher order, and bifactor models) and was consistent with the framework developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning that informs the Australian school-based social-emotional learning curriculum, incorporating the following: Self-Awareness; Self-Management; Social Awareness; Relationship Skills; and Responsible Decision-Making. This brief (20-item), psychometrically sound, self-report measure of social-emotional competencies in middle childhood provides capacity for exploration of these skills as mediators and moderators of developmental outcomes across the life span. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychiatrists Call for Action After CDC Data Reveal Worsening of Youth Mental Health Crisis

Psychiatrists Call for Action After CDC Data Reveal Worsening of Youth Mental Health Crisis

Systemic barriers and opportunities for implementing school-based social-emotional learning interventions in low-income and conflict-affected settings.

Children living in low-income and conflict-affected settings face unique systemic risk factors that shape their social, emotional, and mental well-being. However, little is known about how these and other systemic factors may impede or support the delivery of social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions in these contexts. In this article, we draw from our experience delivering and evaluating a classroom-based SEL curriculum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to surface systemic barriers and opportunities for implementing SEL interventions in low-income, conflict-affected settings. Specifically, we identify (1) culture, (2) timing, and (3) government support and stability as factors underlying SEL program demand, dosage, quality, and effectiveness. We provide recommendations for improving implementation of SEL programs in low-income and conflict-affected contexts, including the importance of building pro-active partnerships, using qualitative research, and investing in adaptation to both understand and address systemic barriers.

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

Social Emotional Learning in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Opportunities and Challenges

Social emotional learning (SEL) has become a consensus in the global education community. SEL has become an important way to promote students’ adaptation to 21st century learning, life and future work, and to enhance the quality of students’ overall development in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Although training programs have been launched in many countries, SEL is currently encountering new development bottlenecks. The present study discusses how to solve the problem of monolithic SEL subject perspectives, the dilemma of declining learning outcomes in online education, and the limitations in the development of educational effectiveness and assessment tools. Based on evidence-based education, the future direction of SEL development could optimize of SEL curriculum based on educational neuroscience, improve the sense of real interaction and feedback of SEL online teaching medium and emphasize the scientific and localization of SEL assessment methods.

The Dynamic Effects of a Summer Learning Program on Behavioral Engagement in School

Abstract Evidence that student learning declines or stagnates during summers has motivated an interest in programs providing intensive summer instruction. However, existing literature suggests that such programs have modest effects on achievement and no impact on measures of engagement in school. In this quasi-experimental study, we present evidence on the impact of a comprehensive and mature summer learning program that serves low-income middle school students and features unusual academic breadth, including a robust and well-designed social-emotional learning curriculum. Our results indicate that this program led to substantial reductions in unexcused absences, chronic absenteeism, and suspensions and a modest gain in English language arts test scores. We find evidence that the gains in behavioral engagement are dynamic, growing over time and with additional summers of participation.

Video-based instruction in social-emotional skills for youth with intellectual disabilities in a summer vocational rehabilitation program

Social-emotional skills work collaboratively with academic skills to help students connect content to real-world challenges. For successful future employment, today’s students will need to master social-emotional skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. Students with intellectual disabilities, however, possess severe deficits in mental capacity and emotional skills. For those students with intellectual disabilities, who already possess multiple employment and educational challenges; lack of social-emotional skills has been identified by their schoolto-work transition support team members as a common barrier to employment. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a vocational rehabilitation program for students with disabilities that would have included a face-to-face class of 40 participants was cancelled. As a substitute, a hybrid, Google Classroom-based delivery of a social-emotional skills intervention program was hosted at the computer lab of the vocational rehabilitation agency with only five student participants. Although a small group, almost all student participants increased their pro-social skills knowledge as well as were observed by their counselors to have improved their pro-social behaviors post-program. This case study provides some, but very limited, data to suggest that delivery of social-emotional learning curriculum by means of remote learning for students with intellectual disabilities should be further studied.

Teachers and occupational therapists as interprofessional teammates: Implementation of an adapted social-emotional learning curriculum

Research supports health and educational benefits of social emotional learning (SEL) for children, particularly in lower socio-economic school settings. However, limited data exist on adaptation and implementation of such curricula by collaborating educators and health professionals for children with developmental and learning needs. We conducted a qualitative study to understand interprofessional experiences between a Kindergarten classroom teacher and occupational therapy (OT) personnel who implemented an adapted literacy-focused SEL program in the classroom for children ages 5–6 years old at high-risk for behavioral, developmental, and learning needs. This article describes themes that emerged from analysis of semi-structured interviews and observations conducted with participants implementing the study within the Title I school. The themes are: limited role understanding, contextual factors impacted interprofessional collaboration, and the perceived positive impact of SEL on students. While educators and related-service professionals can effectively implement classroom-level interventions for children with and without identified disabilities, future interprofessional education opportunities should develop role understanding and enhance team communication during pre-service learning.

Preschool Teachers' Opinions About Second Step Early Learning Curriculum

Children's problem behaviour in the preschool period is a severe obstacle to social-emotional development and a precondition for maladjustment in social relationships during school life. Professionals in the field have been improving existing practices to prevent and intervene in young children's challenging behaviour. To this end, many social-emotional learning curriculums are developed and put into practice. One curriculum that supports children's social-emotional learning during the preschool period is the Second Step Early Learning. The present study looked into the practical experiences of preschool teachers implementing the second step social-emotional learning curriculum. The study group consists of 13 preschool teachers who have received educator training in this learning curriculum and implemented it at schools. The teachers were asked questions about the curriculum's general qualities, its effects on the children's development levels, and their professional development. According to the study results, all teachers stated that the second step curriculum positively contributed to children's emotional and behavioural reactions. It helped them in class management and implementation, such behaviour as having confidence, asking for help, taking responsibility, and taking responsibility-sharing improved. In addition, expressing that they observed differences in hindering anger and in-class problem-solving processes, teachers emphasised that the children were more understanding and polite to each other, especially in free-time activities. Their interaction was healthier than before, and their listening and attention spans increased. Overall, the findings show preschool teachers' experience in implementation. They recommended the curriculum to their colleagues, claiming that it contributed to their professional development.

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.

A Call for Equity-Focused Social-Emotional Learning

The approaches we are using presently with social–emotional learning (SEL) curricula are not truly meeting the needs of our students. SEL programs have proven successful in many areas of mental and social wellbeing but fall short of their intended goals of promoting social warmth and human relationships. The literature suggests that minoritized students consistently report issues with perceptions of fit in the classroom environment, and these perceptions have known negative effects on academic and social outcomes. Current SEL curricula largely reflect White, middle class, American beliefs and values, perpetuating the negative social arrangements of disenfranchisement and marginalization. There is a significant need to reframe SEL curriculum development to remove this majority influence and encourage school stakeholders to challenge existing social inequities. SEL curricula have the potential to be key elements in creating more equitable school communities by more effectively addressing discrimination and prejudice through their frames of reference and the skills they help students and other stakeholders develop. Future research, actionable items and recommendations regarding how to adapt current SEL curricula are also discussed. Impact Statement Current social–emotional learning (SEL) continues to perpetuate systems of oppression and fails to meet the needs of our minoritized student populations (Black/indigenous/people of color, LGBTQ+, dis/abled, immigrant, etc.). The school psychologist is integral in helping to facilitate the shift in the focus of SEL from “fixing” the deficits of individual students to focusing on the social contexts and social systems that affect the entire classroom, school, and community in order to more effectively meet the needs of minoritized student populations.

Enhancing “Health-Promoting Schools” through Implementing Mental Health Program

BACKGROUND: The implementation of social and emotional learning program Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program is considered to be a low cost, simple method, and efficient intervention that shows a promise in promoting students’ mental health (MH). AIM: We aimed to enhance “The Health-Promoting Schools” initiative through the implementation of a MH promotion program. METHODS: The study is a school-based non-randomized controlled trial, in purposively selected schools. It included 460 students with a mean age of 11 (± 0.7) years old, all are boys, and were divided into two groups; intervention group (n = 230) and control group (n = 230). The ten components of the health-promoting school were assessed in the intervention school using the CDC tool “The School Health Index,” which enables the school team to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their school’s policies and programs. As a result, a tailored SEL program was developed fitting the Egyptian culture and students’ needs, along with the recommendations and trends. RESULTS: The baseline assessment results for the intervention school were in the medium range percentages (20–80%). The social and emotional part had not been a major concern given for our students. The students who participated in the SEL program evidenced significant improvements in grit, growth mindset, self-management, social awareness, and school safety compared to the control group. According to the teachers’ perception scale, 70% of the teachers reported that the learning strategies of students have been improved. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that a relatively simple-to-administer SEL curriculum added to the regular school curriculum for a period of only 2–3 months can yield promising results as regard to positive behavioral and cognitive changes in students.

Adapting Social Emotional Learning Curricula for an Urban Context via Focus Groups: Process and Outcomes

Although internalizing problems are of particular concern in under-resourced urban schools, interventions are often not culturally relevant for this student population. The current study explored a process of seeking stakeholder input through focus groups to inform the cultural adaptation of Merrell’s Strong Kids curricula, an intervention targeting internalizing problems. Focus group feedback revealed themes related to the importance of increasing the relevance of the curricula to better address the community context (addressing anxiety associated with the political climate and capitalizing on community strengths) and better supporting students’ needs (building in more communication with caregivers, developing skills stakeholders wanted students to learn, addressing concerns they had about their students’ feelings and experiences, and the need for building in strategies to help students generalize and adapt skills across settings). The adapted intervention was then implemented with a sample of 43 elementary student participants. Pre/post differences in screening outcomes suggested large decreases in students’ internalizing symptoms. These findings suggest that research-based behavioral health interventions can be adapted to be more responsive to the needs of students in urban schools. Impact Statement There is a need for more equitable access to culturally responsive mental health interventions for students in urban communities. Although this need is emphasized in research and practice, few studies provide a systemic process school teams can utilize to seek stakeholder input to inform adaptations to existing evidence-based interventions. The current study includes an example of a systematic process teams can utilize to adapt interventions.

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.

Making Space for Social and Emotional Learning in Science Education

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is known to improve student outcomes but is rarely combined with STEM. In this paper we present an action research study to examine the impact of a STEM + SEL curriculum intervention to address a real-world school conflict. One hundred sixth–eighth graders and four teachers participated in an in-person facilitation of a SEL Arthropod curriculum, DIFFERENT. After the intervention, students completed open-ended couplet statements about arthropod behavior, tarantulas, and humans designed to measure sentiment change. Answers were manually coded using inductive coding on a scale of negative (1) to positive (5). Statement sentiments significantly shifted from negative to neutral and negative to positive for all three questions. Neutral to positive shifts were only significant for the couplet statements about arthropod behavior. This study reports the first confirmed instance of successful use of arthropods for SEL within a curriculum that integrates students’ social-emotional skills within a science classroom.

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.