Social-emotional Skills Research Articles

Beyond the Screen: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emotional Skills and Social Networking in French Young Adults.

(1) Background: This study investigates the influence of social networks on young adults, focusing on both positive and negative impacts. It considers problematic social networking site use (PSNSU), emotional intelligence, empathy, and the phenomenon of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). (2) Methods: A comprehensive online survey was conducted with 442 participants aged 18 to 30 years that used various psychometric tools to assess emotional intelligence, empathy, internet and social media use, and FoMO. (3) Results: The study revealed that young adults display low competencies in emotional intelligence and empathy, with a tendency towards problematic internet and social media use. High FoMO scores were observed, correlating with negative internet use outcomes. Gender differences in these aspects were also explored. (4) Conclusions: The findings suggest a complex interaction between social network use, emotional skills, and FoMO that impacts young adults' mental health and social behaviors. This study highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of these relationships and their implications for well-being and social interaction in the digital age.

Review and Evidence Gap Map of mentoring programs for adolescent males with disabilities.

Adolescent males with disabilities face unique challenges, and mentoring programs designed for this population could support more positive long-term outcomes. In the current study, a scoping review of empirical research on such programs was conducted. The review was intended to capture the characteristics of existing mentoring program for males with disabilities and map those characteristics in a way that sheds light on the overall status of the field. The review included different types of mentoring (e.g., adult to child, peer to peer, etc.) as long as the program explicitly defined the formation of a long-term relationship between mentor and mentee. The search identified 21 relevant studies that were categorized using four dimensions: 1) Setting (i.e., school/after school, community-based, on-line/virtual, or mixed); 2) Sex (i.e., males only or mixed males/females); 3) Outcomes (i.e., academics, social-emotional skills, health, transition from high school, or program implementation); and 4) Evaluation methodology (i.e., experimental, nonexperimental, or qualitative). The findings are summarized in an Evidence Gap Map. Only three studies used an experimental design, although they were able to demonstrate significant promise in promoting positive outcomes for youth with disabilities. Beyond these studies, however, there was little evidence supporting program efficacy for males with disabilities, as most studies in the sample were nonexperimental in nature. Overall there are few mentoring programs that target this population, and experimental research on programs that target academic and health outcomes is particularly lacking.

Purpose-focused SEL in high school: an evaluation of the Wayfinder purpose curriculum

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Wayfinder Purpose Curriculum, a universal SEL program that provides educators with tools and training to support high school students’ development of purpose and other fundamental social-emotional skills. A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the effect of the curriculum on students’ self-reported purpose, social awareness, cultural awareness, school engagement, school belonging, identity expression, and emotion regulation. Two studies were conducted: Study 1 had a total of 137 high school seniors (including 77 Wayfinder students and 60 comparison group students), and Study 2 had a total of 334 high school freshmen (including 231 Wayfinder students and 103 comparison group students). All participants completed pre and posttest surveys and the survey data were analyzed using ANCOVA. Results indicated a positive effect of the Wayfinder Curriculum on students’ purpose, social awareness, school engagement, sense of belonging, and identity expression.

Longitudinal associations between adolescents' social-emotional skills, school engagement, and school burnout

This longitudinal study investigated to what extent five key social-emotional skills persistence, academic buoyancy, curiosity, social engagement, and lack of loneliness were associated with adolescents' school engagement and burnout at two timepoints. Furthermore, the role of gender and socioeconomic status were examined. The data were collected from 1021 adolescents (ages 12–14) in the fall of 2021 and 2022. The results were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and revealed that, in general, social-emotional skills were associated with higher school engagement and lower burnout among adolescents. Curiosity showed a strong relationship with school engagement. Moreover, persistence was associated with an increase in school engagement among adolescents with low-average socioeconomic status. High academic buoyancy and lack of loneliness were associated with decrease in burnout over the school years. The study implies that recognizing the variety of adolescent's social-emotional skills may help to better support adolescents' school engagement and protect them from burnout. Educational relevance and implications statementAccording to the study findings, social-emotional skills, such as persistence and curiosity, were associated with higher school motivation and lower burnout of adolescents. These results suggest that interventions aiming to develop adolescents' social-emotional skills may promote adolescents' motivation. Supporting adolescents' social relationships in school may also protect adolescents from burning out. To better support adolescent students' motivation and well-being at school it is important to recognize the diversity of individual adolescents' needs and strengths in social-emotional skills. Therefore, sufficient education and training would be needed for teachers concerning the variety of social-emotional skills.

Examining teacher-child relationship profiles in forecasting children's self-regulation and social-emotional skills: A multilevel latent profile approach

Numerous studies have highlighted the crucial role of teacher-child relationships in children's self-regulation and social-emotional skills. However, whether teacher-child relationship profiles are linked to self-regulation and social-emotional skills remains unclear. The present study employed multilevel latent profile analysis (MLPA) to explore the teacher-child relationship profiles and their associations with self-regulation and social-emotional skills at both the child and class levels. Utilizing data from 584 children nested in 42 preschool classes, single-level LPA unveiled three teacher-child relationship profiles associated with different self-regulation and social-emotional skills. Notably, closeness and conflict emerged as significant factors in profile assignments. Children with low closeness and high conflict tended to experience challenges in self-regulation and social-emotional skills, whereas those with moderate to high closeness reported better outcomes. Furthermore, MLPA identified three class profiles based on the prevalence of children's profiles and their relationships with different class-mean self-regulation and social-emotional skills. Children's age, gender, and teachers' teaching experience were identified as factors related to child- and class-level profiles. These findings emphasize the interplay between teacher-child relationship profiles and classroom dynamics in relation to children's self-regulation and social-emotional skills within a Chinese cultural context.

Could school programs based on social-emotional learning prevent substance abuse among adolescents?

In this editorial, we comment on the article Adolescent suicide risk factors and the integration of social-emotional skills in school-based prevention programs by Liu et al . While the article focused on the issue of suicide and social-emotional learning programs as a possible intervention, we here discuss evidence of other reported outcomes and if it could be an effective way to prevent substance abuse among adolescents.

Negotiations and reconciliations in the first year of teaching

This study investigates the lived experiences and developing identities of three secondary first-year teachers, exploring the practices each employed to reconcile expectations of teaching with their realities. Authors present distinct narratives synthesized from weekly reflections and interviews, identifying factors that supported new teacher reconciliation including a strong connection to community, healthy social emotional skills, and the recalibration of the role of curriculum. This study advocates for teacher preparation programs to recognize areas of misaligned expectations and provide support for new teachers in the construction of realistic views of teaching as essential to developing teacher identity and impacting retention.

Teaching who you are: Preliminary findings linking teachers’ and students’ social-emotional skills

Despite recent emphasis of accomplished scholars on the significant role of teachers' social-emotional skills in imparting these skills to their students, there is limited empirical research on this issue. The present study addressed this gap by examining the associations between teachers’ social-emotional skills (mindfulness, empathy, and prosocial orientation) and their students' social-emotional skills. We surveyed 45 primary classroom teachers (all teachers were women) and their 852 fourth- and fifth-grade students (54 % girls), from 12 public schools in Israel (serving students from SES ranging from the third to the eighth decile). All the study’s participants completed self-report measures of their social-emotional skills. HLM analyses indicated that teachers' mindfulness was associated with students' social-emotional skills (mindfulness, empathic concern, and prosocial orientation), and teachers' empathic concern was associated with students' prosocial orientation. These findings provide initial support for the potential significance of teachers' social-emotional skills, particularly mindfulness and empathy, in scaffolding these skills in their students. Implications for teachers' training and professional development in contemporary education are discussed.

Development and validation of the short parent–child emotion communication questionnaire

ABSTRACT How parents value and address emotions with their children is essential for children’s emotion socialization. This study developed and validated the short Parent–Child Emotion Communication questionnaire (PEC), which measures the extent to which parents appreciate emotions, consciously discuss their own and their child’s emotions with their children, reflecting on both positive and negative emotions, and address the impact of emotion expression on social relationships. Parents of 316 preschoolers (Mage = 3.86 years) participated. Factor structure, measurement invariance across sex, and internal consistency of the PEC were assessed. Four indices for parents’ talk about a child’s emotional episode, and children’s social-emotional skills are tested for criterion and concurrent validity. The results confirmed the one-factor structure of the 8-item PEC, measurement invariance across boys and girls, and seemed to support the criterion/concurrent validity. The PEC thus may provide a tool to examine parent–child emotion communication in early childhood. Clinical implications of using the PEC are discussed.

Head circumference growth in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: trend and clinical correlates in the first five years of life.

Macrocephaly is described in almost 15% of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Relationships between head growth trajectories and clinical findings in ASD children show a high degree of variability, highlighting the complex heterogeneity of the disorder. The aim of this study was to measure differences of the early growth trajectory of head circumference (HC) in children with ASD and macrocephaly compared to ASD normocephalic children, examining clinical correlates in the two groups of patients. HC data were collected from birth to 5 years of age in a sample of children with a confirmed diagnosis of ASD. Participants were classified into two groups: ASD macrocephaly (ASD-M, Z-scores ≥1.88 in at least two consecutive HC measurements), and ASD non-macrocephaly (ASD-N). Based on the distribution of HC measurements (Z-scores), five age groups were identified for the longitudinal study. Developmental and behavioral characteristics of the ASD-M children compared to the ASD-N group were compared by using standardized scores. 20,8% of the children sample met criteria for macrocephaly. HC values became indicative of macrocephaly in the ASD-M group at the age range from 1 to 6 months, and persisted thereafter throughout the first five years of age. ASD-M children showed significantly higher developmental quotients of Griffiths III B and D subscales compared to ASD-N group. No significant differences in the severity of ASD symptoms assessed by ADOS-2 were observed between ASD-M and ASD-N groups. In this study HC size from birth to 5 years links to accelerated HC growth rate as early as the first 6 months of age in children with ASD and macrocephaly, preceding the onset and diagnosis of ASD. We found that in early childhood, children with ASD-M may exhibit some advantages in language and social communication and emotional skills without differences in autism severity, when compared with age-matched normocephalic ASD children. Longitudinal analyses are required to catch-up prospectively possible relationships between head size as proxy measure of brain development and neuro-developmental and behavioral features in children with ASD.

A Study of the Integration of Patriotism and Social Emotional Learning Skills in Primary Chinese language Textbooks

This paper explores the integration of patriotism education and SEL in primary school language textbooks, analyses SEL resources in primary school language textbooks, and points out the limitations of integrating SEL education in the current primary school language classroom based on the analysis of classroom videos. The study found that the content of patriotism education in language textbooks is closely related to the five core competencies of SEL and can effectively promote students’ SEL development. However, in classroom practice, teachers’ understanding and use of SEL are still inadequate, leading to problems such as generalised assessment of affective attitudes, lack of inspirational questioning style, and insufficient student subjectivity. This paper suggests strengthening the training of teachers’ SEL teaching ability, improving the questioning method and enriching the form of homework, so as to promote students’ better development of SEL ability in language learning, and to lay the foundation for cultivating future talents with a sense of social responsibility and civic awareness.

Demonstration Learning Method Assisted by Hand Puppet Media Improves Children's Language and Social-Emotional Skills

During learning, children feel bored and shy when meeting new people, so they need to be adequately stimulated to support the child's social-emotional development. This research analyzes the demonstration learning method assisted by hand puppets on children's language and social-emotional abilities. This type of research is Quasi-Experimental Design (quasi-experiment). The research design used was a posttest-only control group design. In this study, the population was the total number of Kindergarten B children, totaling 185 children. The sample selection technique in this research was random sampling with a sample size of 65 children. The data collection method uses observation and questionnaire sheets. Inferential statistical analysis is an analysis used to test research hypotheses. The research results show that the Demonstration Learning Method Assisted by Hand Puppet Media can influence children's language and social-emotional abilities. The research results show differences in the language and social-emotional abilities of children who follow the demonstration learning method assisted by hand puppet media and those taught using the lecture method. It was concluded that the Demonstration Learning Method Assisted by Hand Puppet Media could improve Kindergarten B children's language and social-emotional skills.

Sex differences in formal recommendation of assets for health (social prescribing) in Aragon

BackgroundIn primary health care, social prescribing is an important tool which is gaining popularity. It is being studied significantly, however there is not enough evidence about different related issues. The aim of this study is to analyse the differences by sex in the application of a social prescription protocol in Primary Care.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study carried out with data from the Electronic Health Record between September 2018 and March 2021. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses of data from 2,109 records of Social Prescription protocol in primary health care centers located in Aragón in northern Spain (Europe) were performed using Jamovi Statistics software (version 2.3.28). The comparisons by sex were carried out using a Mann-Whitney U or chi-squared test to analyse differences.ResultsThe protocol was used correctly 1,482 times, where it was applied more in females (74.8% female vs. 25.2% male). The median age in females was higher than males (female 72 vs. males 70; p = 0.003). There were significant differences by sex in several aspects to strengthen with the social prescribing, physical, emotional and relational skills. Most females and males regularly attended the recommended asset and there were significant differences in the group that never attended. Mean satisfaction was statistically different, with 4.74 points out of 5 for females and 4.86/5 for males (p = 0.010). It can be observed that older females in rural areas (OR = 34.15), whose social prescription acts on Emotional Skills and Relational and Social Skills (OR = 6.10–8.23), with good prior self-care and greater participant satisfaction (OR = 8.96), have greater chance of improving their health.ConclusionsSome results showed sex differences in the use and outcomes of formal asset recommendation. However, further research is needed to assess the relationship between social prescription, sex and gender and their implications.

Screen time and social-emotional skills in preschoolers with developmental, behavioural or emotional issues in Singapore.

This study aimed to determine patterns of screen viewing time (SVT) in preschool children with developmental, behavioural or emotional (DBE) issues, and to identify its relationship with social-emotional development. This cross-sectional study involved children aged 0-5 years who were referred to a developmental paediatric clinic for DBE issues. Parents completed a screen time questionnaire, and the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment-Clinical (DECA-C) question-naire which assessed the social-emotional competence of the children. Data were analysed using logistic regression, correlational analyses and tests of comparison. Among 225 children (mean age: 32.4 months), mean daily SVT was 138 minutes. More than half (51.1%) of the children had clinical features of language delay, while 26.6% had features suggestive of autism spectrum disorder. Screen time was first introduced at a mean age of 13.8 months, with 32.4% of children previously experiencing higher SVT. Compared to SVT introduction after 1 year of age, SVT in the first 12 months was primarily to facilitate feeding (P<0.05). Children with higher past SVT had poorer attention, more aggression, and increased behavioural concerns. Children with DBE issues have significantly more screen time than same-aged peers. Children with DBE issues are exposed to SVT at a very young age and have significantly more screen time than their peers. It is crucial to guide parents to reduce SVT in early childhood, particularly around mealtimes.

Prioritizing Mental Well-being in Emerging Educational Models: Strategies for Integrating Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) to Support Student Mental Health

This paper conducts a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of integrating Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) practices into emerging educational models to support student mental well-being, with a particular focus on Canadian contexts. Employing a systematic literature review methodology, the study utilized Google Scholar as the primary database, filtering results based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, emphasizing relevance, quality, and recency. The main findings underscore a research gap between acknowledgment of the importance of SEL, and its implementation in Canadian schools. Strategies for integrating SEL into educational settings are reviewed, highlighting ongoing initiatives of British Columbia aimed at advancing SEL within teacher training programs and educational policies. The study also highlights escalating concerns regarding the mental health of Canadian children and youth, impaired by the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for educational policy and practice, including promoting systematic assessment of students’ social-emotional skills and ensuring the appropriate developmental delivery of SEL through content, are emphasized as key considerations for educational policymakers and practitioners. The paper concludes that a holistic approach is advocated for fostering Canadian children and youth's social-emotional skills, crucial for their well-being and success in educational settings.

Declines in social-emotional skills in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The present study investigated whether social-emotional skills in first year college students differed before and after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdowns. Participants (N = 1,685) consisted of first year college students (mean age 18.53 years) selected from a broader cohort enrolled in a longitudinal study on college mental health at liberal arts colleges in the United States. In a cohort-sequential design, participants completed an online survey assessing social-emotional skills in January of 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022. Using analysis of covariance, we examined mean differences in social-emotional skills between students who were first years before (January 2018-2020) and after the lockdowns (January 2022), controlling for sociodemographic variables. The post-lockdown group scored significantly lower on emotional control and expressivity and marginally higher on social sensitivity compared to the pre-lockdown group. No group differences in social/emotional expressivity or social control were detected. These findings indicate that the COVID-19 lockdowns impaired some, but not all, social-emotional skills in first year college students. Addressing social-emotional skills in college may help to reduce the COVID-19 mental health burden.

Strategi Pembelajaran Untuk Mengembangkan Keterampilan Sosial Emosional Anak Usia Dini

There are several aspects of development in early childhood, namely one aspect that needs to be stimulated in early childhood is the aspect of social emotional development. The way to develop social emotional skills in early childhood is to implement the right strategy. The aim of this research is to find out what strategies are appropriate to implement with young children in learning. The data sources in this research are teachers and early childhood. The method used in this research is a qualitative method. The technique used in this research is literature study. The research results show that there are many strategies that can be used in learning to develop the social emotional skills of early childhood, with the teacher's ability to implement these strategies in learning by adjusting the abilities of each student (early childhood). If the strategies given are correct, the social emotional skills of young children will also be able to develop optimally.

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.

Beyond the classroom: Understanding primary school students social-emotional skills through parental eyes

Beyond the classroom: Understanding primary school students social-emotional skills through parental eyes

The relationship between physical activity and college students' perceived social support: The mediating role of social–emotional competence and its gender differences

AbstractThe aim of this research was to examine the correlation among college students' physical activity, social–emotional abilities, gender and their perception of social support. The survey was conducted among 408 college students from Jiangsu, Shandong and Hubei provinces utilising the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Social–Emotional Competence Scale for Chinese College Students and the Physical Activity Scale (PARS‐3). SPSS 27.0 and the Process 4.1 plug‐in developed by Hayes were used to perform common method bias tests, independent samples t‐tests, descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and moderated mediation model tests on the data. (1) After controlling for variables such as educational attainment and professional background, physical activity was found to exert a significant and favourable influence on college students' perception of social support (β = .11, p&lt;.001). (2) The relationship between physical activity and college students' perception of social support was moderated by their social–emotional skills. The mediation effect size was calculated to be 54.33%. (3) Gender moderates the relationship between physical activity and college students' perceptions of social support (β = .09, t = 2.01, p&lt;.05). Physical activity not only directly affects college students' perceived social support, but also indirectly through social–emotional competence; gender has a significant moderating effect on the direct effect of physical activity on college students' perceived social support. Specifically, female students had a more significant positive predictive effect on perceptual social support than male students. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's .