Socio-emotional Learning Research Articles

Effects of a Dialogue-Based Program to Improve Emotion Knowledge in Spanish Roma Preschoolers

Romas are one of the largest minority groups in Spain and Europe, but no specific data on children's socioemotional learning are available. Our goal was to determine the level of socioemotional knowledge of a group of 4- and 5-year-old Roma children and to implement an intervention program at school. Forty-three Roma children participated (experimental: N = 21; control: N = 22). We implemented the intervention program Thinking emotions (M. Giménez-Dasí, M. Fernández-Sánchez, & M.-F. Daniel, 2013a). This program is based on Philosophy for Children (M. Lipman, A. M. Sharp, & F. S. Oscanyan, 1980) and aims to promote emotion knowledge, regulation strategies, and social competencies through peer-to-peer dialogue. Pre- and posttest measures were taken. Results showed low levels of initial knowledge and a clear pattern of improvement after the intervention.

Investigating the efficacy of a targeted youth intervention on negative problem orientation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the efficacy of a targeted youth programme that promotes social-emotion learning through an experiential learning, on negative problem orientation (NPO), and to identify to what extent risk (of disengagement) would have an impact on the outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Participants were selected by their school teacher, using a risk selection tool and divided into two groups: “lower risk” and “higher risk” on the basis of three criteria (socioeconomic disadvantage, engagement and parental support). Participants were asked to complete the Negative Problem Orientation Questionnaire (NPOQ) before and after the programme. Findings Baseline NPO scores were significantly higher (indicating high levels of NPO) in participants who had a higher risk profile compared to those who had a lower risk profile, (t=17.79 (663), p<0.01). Overall, NPO decreased significantly from baseline to the end of programme assessment, (F(1,163)=41.0, p<0.01). Further analysis reveals that while there was a significant impact of the programme on NPO (greater than overall statistic) in higher risk young people (F(1,163)=63.8, p<0.01), there was no significant impact for those who were lower risk. This group scored slightly (but not significantly) higher than baseline (t=1.14 (664)=, p=0.253). There were no significant effects of gender (p=0.165) or ethnicity (p=0.72). Research limitations/implications The results of this study may add value to this field of clinical and academic research that recognise the importance of interventions that use socio-emotional learning and experiential learning to minimise NPO. More specifically, the present research suggests that young people at risk of disengagement, who come from disadvantaged groups may benefit from an intervention. This has long-term implications as interventions such as these, have been shown to have the largest impact on student’s academic, behavioural, social-emotional and motivational outcomes and produce benefits to pupils’ health and well-being. Practical implications The present research may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for contributing to a programme that enhances psychological well-being through NPO. Social implications The paper provides a good framework in terms of adding value for understanding the world of at risk young people and their psychological well-being and academic attainment, not to mention how this may affect young people in the long term. Mental health is a serious concern among young people and great cost to the NHS. Young people are not being seen by professions and the threshold is ever increasing. Prevention of the exacerbation of mental illness while waiting for treatment may be sought in interventions that concentrate on problem orientation. Originality/value The data analysis is applied to a specific group of at risk young people, on a novel intervention. Furthermore, there does not seem to be a large amount of research using NPOQ.

Promoting children's learning and development in conflict-affected countries: Testing change process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Improving children's learning and development in conflict-affected countries is critically important for breaking the intergenerational transmission of violence and poverty. Yet there is currently a stunning lack of rigorous evidence as to whether and how programs to improve learning and development in conflict-affected countries actually work to bolster children's academic learning and socioemotional development. This study tests a theory of change derived from the fields of developmental psychopathology and social ecology about how a school-based universal socioemotional learning program, the International Rescue Committee's Learning to Read in a Healing Classroom (LRHC), impacts children's learning and development. The study was implemented in three conflict-affected provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and employed a cluster-randomized waitlist control design to estimate impact. Using multilevel structural equation modeling techniques, we found support for the central pathways in the LRHC theory of change. Specifically, we found that LRHC differentially impacted dimensions of the quality of the school and classroom environment at the end of the first year of the intervention, and that in turn these dimensions of quality were differentially associated with child academic and socioemotional outcomes. Future implications and directions are discussed.

P.3.d.021 - Effect of augmentation strategies to risperidone treatment for patients with autistic disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis

The Drug and Violence Resistance Educational Program (PROERD) is widely disseminated and implemented as a public policy in Brazil. PROERD's current curricula are the translation of the North American program DARE-Keepin'it REAL, based on the theories of socio-emotional learning and resistance training. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of PROERD in the prevention of drug use.Two PROERD curricula were analyzed through two cluster randomized controlled trials conducted with 4030 students (1727 5th graders and 2303 7th graders) in 30 public schools in São Paulo. The intervention group received ten PROERD classes delivered by trained police officers, and the control group received no intervention. Data collection was performed using self-administered questionnaires on smartphones at two points in time (baseline pre-intervention and nine months follow-up). The outcomes evaluated were initiation and recent drug use. Two different paradigms were used in a multilevel analysis: an analysis of complete cases (CC) and an intention to treat missing data through full information maximum likelihood and selection model.We found no evidence of the effectiveness of PROERD as an intervention for the prevention of drug use. For the conditional transition analysis, we found that 7th graders in the PROERD group who were already binge drinking at baseline had a significantly higher chance of maintaining this consumption pattern when compared to the control group.The lack of preventive effects found here suggests that a process evaluation may address concrete implementation and cultural adaptation issues.

MEJORA DE LA INTELIGENCIA EMOCIONAL EN EDUCACIÓN INFANTIL Y DESARROLLO COGNITIVO

Abstract:IMPROVING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTEarly Childhood Education is the second socialization agent for the child, and is co-responsible with the family for socio-emotional learning. In this context, it is logical to work with a balanced curriculum with regard to learning Emotional Intelligence (EI) within young children’s global development and according to the characteristics of their development, as this would guarantee their harmonious and competent growth, as requirements also reflected in European, national, and regional regulations. In order to this, it has been made an intervention programme that has as referents the basic psychological processes described by Mayer and Salovey in 1997 for EI and has been adapted the curriculum of students 2-3 years of Early Childhood Education. This work also includes the analysis of the programme effectiveness in the improvement of the EI and general cognitive development in a group of students with an average age of 31,7 months old. From this study, it can be concluded that the programme has been effective in both developments.Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Early Childhood Education, cognitive development, intervention programme.Resumen:La Educación Infantil (EI) es el segundo agente de socialización para el niño, estando corresponsabilizada con la familia en cuanto a los aprendizajes socioemocionales. En este contexto se plantea la coherencia de trabajar un currículum equilibrado respecto al aprendizaje de la Inteligencia Emocional (IE) dentro de un desarrollo globalizado y acorde a las características del desarrollo de los más pequeños, que garantice un crecimiento armónico y competente del menor, según necesidades que se plasman en normativas europeas nacionales y autonómicas. Para ello se ha confeccionado un programa de intervención que tiene como referentes los procesos psicológicos básicos descritos por Mayer y Salovey en 1997 para la IE y se ha adaptado al currículum del alumnado de 2-3 años de Educación Infantil. El trabajo también incluye el análisis de la eficacia del programa en la mejora de la IE y del desarrollo general cognitivo en un grupo de alumnos con una edad media de tres 31,7 meses. Del estudio se desprende que el programa ha sido eficaz en ambos desarrollos.Palabras clave: Inteligencia Emocional, Educación Infantil, Desarrollo Cognitivo, programa de intervención.

Promotion, prevention and protection: interventions at the population- and community-levels for mental, neurological and substance use disorders in low- and middle-income countries

BackgroundIn addition to services within the health system, interventions at the population and community levels are also important for the promotion of mental health, primary prevention of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders, identification and case detection of MNS disorders; and to a lesser degree treatment, care and rehabilitation. This study aims to identify “best practice” and “good practice” interventions that can feasibly be delivered at these population- and community-levels in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to aid the identification of resource efficiencies and allocation in LMICs.MethodsA narrative review was conducted given the wide range of relevant interventions. Expert consensus was used to identify “best practice” at the population-level on the basis of existing quasi-experimental natural experiments and cost effectiveness, with small scale emerging and promising evidence comprising “good practice”. At the community-level, using expert consensus, the ACE (Assessing Cost-Effectiveness in Prevention Project) grading system was used to differentiate “best practice” interventions with sufficient evidence from “good practice” interventions with limited but promising evidence.ResultsAt the population-level, laws and regulations to control alcohol demand and restrict access to lethal means of suicide were considered “best practice”. Child protection laws, improved control of neurocysticercosis and mass awareness campaigns were identified as “good practice”. At the community level, socio-emotional learning programmes in schools and parenting programmes during infancy were identified as “best practice”. The following were all identified as “good practice”: Integrating mental health promotion strategies into workplace occupational health and safety policies; mental health information and awareness programmes as well as detection of MNS disorders in schools; early child enrichment/preschool educational programs and parenting programs for children aged 2–14 years; gender equity and/or economic empowerment programs for vulnerable groups; training of gatekeepers to identify people with MNS disorders in the community; and training non-specialist community members at a neighbourhood level to assist with community-based support and rehabilitation of people with mental disorders.ConclusionInterventions provided at the population- and community-levels have an important role to play in promoting mental health, preventing the onset, and protecting those with MNS disorders. The importance of inter-sectoral engagement and the need for further research on interventions at these levels in LMICs is highlighted.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13033-016-0060-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The School-to-Prison Pipeline: From School Punishment to Rehabilitative Inclusion

The zero tolerance policy movement across most of this country's school districts significantly limited school personnel's disciplinary alternatives for students who break rules on campus. This has resulted in millions of primary and secondary age students who have experienced suspension, arrests, and for some, expulsion. Within the student population a small number are most at risk for being captured within what has been ubiquitously called the “school-to-prison pipeline,” sometimes targeted by authority figures, and prone to recidivism. These school punishments are significant risks, if not direct referrals, for juvenile court involvement. Often the discipline rules set forth by school districts—student codes of conduct—allow no flexibility in discipline alternatives outside of suspensions and expulsions. However, increasing evidence is finding that these discipline codes can be modified to include rehabilitative alternatives—Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS), socioemotional learning, professional (teacher) development, and restorative practices—while actually improving the school environments and making schools safer for all students.

Exposing young people to cooking and new foods: findings from a feasibility study in an alternative education setting.

The current study describes a feasibility study of an experiential cooking program for alternative education students. The aims were to identify potential areas for measuring impact (beyond nutrition) and to identify issues threatening the feasibility and evaluation of the program. Weekly cooking sessions were conducted in one alternative education center over a school term. Data were collected through weekly observations, a youth focus group, and staff interview. Observational data confirmed high levels of participation by students, willingness to try new foods, and enjoyment of foods prepared. Comments from the teacher and students emphasized the wider impact of the cooking sessions on positive youth development and cultural engagement, including opportunities for socio-emotional learning, team work, socializing with peers, and cultural blessings of food. Future studies should consider measures of positive youth development along with cooking skills and eating behaviors as potential outcomes.

Spontaneous eye movements and trait empathy predict vicarious learning of fear

Learning to predict dangerous outcomes is important to survival. In humans, this kind of learning is often transmitted through the observation of others' emotional responses. We analyzed eye movements during an observational/vicarious fear learning procedure, in which healthy participants (N=33) watched another individual (‘learning model’) receiving aversive treatment (shocks) paired with a predictive conditioned stimulus (CS+), but not a control stimulus (CS−). Participants' gaze pattern towards the model differentiated as a function of whether the CS was predictive or not of a shock to the model. Consistent with our hypothesis that the face of a conspecific in distress can act as an unconditioned stimulus (US), we found that the total fixation time at a learning model's face increased when the CS+ was shown. Furthermore, we found that the total fixation time at the CS+ during learning predicted participants' conditioned responses (CRs) at a later test in the absence of the model. We also demonstrated that trait empathy was associated with stronger CRs, and that autistic traits were positively related to autonomic reactions to watching the model receiving the aversive treatment. Our results have implications for both healthy and dysfunctional socio-emotional learning.

Comparison of Social Emotional Learning Smart and Normal School Students : Studied Isfahan Province

This study aims to compare the dimensions of the social-emotional learning smart and normal school students took place in Isfahan province. The research method of the descriptive type, collection, respectively. Community research all secondary students of Isfahan province formed. Statistical sample includes 600 people first and second secondary school student normal and smart schools of Isfahan province that was random stratified sampling method were selected by multistage. To collect data from the socio-emotional learning test standard questionnaire crane et al (2009) have been used. Reliability of this a questionnaire via the cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.80, respectively have been reported. There are two formal questionnaires and narrative content was calculated. Data analysis using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (t-test, analysis of variance test, a variable is a factor) was carried out. The results showed that students ' socioemotional learning between boy and girl, normal schools and schools as a whole is a smart schools there is a significant difference P <0.05. As well as the results of the analysis of variance showed that between the social and emotional learning for students by gender and course there is a significant difference P <0.05 but gotten significant differences depending on the area did.

Relating emotional intelligence and social competence to academic performance in high school students

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and social competence with academic performance of Zabol high school students in Iran. Methodology: It is a descriptive-correlational study and its statistical population consists of 9,386 high school students of Zabol of which 351 subjects were selected using Cochran's sample size determination formula and multi-stage random sampling method. Data collection instruments included both Schutt's EI questionnaire and social competence questionnaire of Illinois University. The students' first semester GPA was used as the Academic Performance indicator as well. Results: The results of data analysis showed that EI and social competence of students have a significant positive relationship with their academic performance and is able to predict their academic performance. The correlation between all the components of EI and academic performance of students was significant as well. Conclusion: Students with high EI and social competence tended to be more pro social and performed better in school. This suggests that integrating lessons with socioemotional learning in schools might improve students' performance, decrease maladaptive behavior, and increase pro social behavior. Finally, only well-designed experiments and longitudinal studies at various levels (elementary, middle and high school) will show whether EI and social competence can be learned (and at what age) and whether teaching these skills will have lasting effects.

Rendimiento académico y las dimensiones personal y contextual del aprendizaje socioemocional: Evidencias de su asociación en estudiantes chilenos

This study supports the growing empirical evidence regarding the relationship between the socioemotional dimension and academic achievement. Through correlation and regression analyses the associations between individual (self-steem and socioemotional well-being) and contextual (perception of the school social climate) features of socioemotional learning and academic success in Chilean elementary students were tested. Socioemotional well-being and perception of school social climate with regards to peer relations and places at school were significantly related to improvements in academic achievement. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for educational practice and future research.

The Impact of a School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Program on the Self-Concept of Middle School Students // O impacto de um programa escolar de Aprendizagem Socioemocional sobre o autoconceito de alunos de 3º ciclo

This controlled pre-post study investigates whether a universal, school-based, socio-emotional learning program implemented in two consecutive years, would promote an increase in academic, social and emotional self-concept of Portuguese middle school students. It also analyzes if there are differential results by gender and among students with lower self-concept. There were 630 participants ( M age = 13.54; SD = 1.36), 474 students (25 classes) integrated program Positive Attitude and 156 (8 classes) in control groups. Self-report questionnaires were administered before and after intervention. There are significant intervention increases in social , emotional and total self-concept , which are stable along the two years and across genders, except for emotional self-concept where only boys show benefits. Intervention students with initial lower levels of self-concept profit more than their colleagues in academic and social self-concept . These results indicate that the intervention positively impacts the self-concept of middle school students, supporting the effectiveness of socio-emotional learning programs.

Cultivating the socially competent body: bodies and risk in Swedish programmes for social emotional learning in preschools and schools

Social emotional learning (SEL) is common in preschools and schools both in Europe and North America today. Programmes for socio-emotional training and the rise of what is labelled therapeutic education have dramatically increased during the first decade of the millennium. In this article, a manual-based programme used for SEL in a Swedish school context is analysed from perspectives rooted in childhood sociology and post-structural studies. The aim of this study is to analyse the discursive constructions of a context of risk and the instilment of specific corporeal regimes. The main issue concerns the meaning and use of the body in the discursive construction of the social competent child within this context of risk. The analysis shows that the socially competent child is shaped and cultivated through self-regulating techniques aiming at creating a docile body, a body that will be a good citizen, a pliant member of the social order.Social emotional learning (SEL) is common in preschools and schools both in Europe and North America today. Programmes for socio-emotional learning and what is labelled therapeutic education (Ecclestone & Hayes, 2007; Furedi, 2009) have dramatically increased during the first decade of the millennium. In Sweden, schools often justify their use of these programmes as a way of organizing their value-based education (von Brömssen, 2011), that is, as a way of realizing the democratic ambitions expressed in educational policy documents, such as the national curriculum.

Theory of Mind Predicts Emotion Knowledge Development in Head Start Children

Research Findings: Emotion knowledge (EK) enables children to identify emotions in themselves and others, and its development facilitates emotion recognition in complex social situations. Sociocognitive processes, such as theory of mind (ToM), may contribute to developing EK by helping children realize the inherent variability associated with emotion expression across individuals and situations. The present study explored how ToM, particularly false belief understanding, in preschool predicts children's developing EK in kindergarten. Participants were 60 Head Start children ages 3 to 5 years. ToM and EK measures were obtained from standardized child tasks. ToM scores were positively related to performance on an EK task in kindergarten after we controlled for preschool levels of EK and verbal ability. Exploratory analyses provided preliminary evidence that ToM serves as an indirect effect between verbal ability and EK. Practice or Policy: Early intervention programs may benefit from including lessons on ToM to help promote socioemotional learning, specifically EK. This consideration may be most fruitful when the targeted population is at risk.

Programa para el Bienestar y Aprendizaje Socioemocional en estudiantes de tercero y cuarto grado: descripción y evaluación de impacto

This paper presents a program to foster socioemotional learning and wellbeing in 3rd and 4th graders, and its impact on evaluation. The program is conceptually grounded in the socioemotional learning perspective, which integrates factors both at the individual and contextual levels. Development of quality interpersonal bonding is emphasized, as is the development of the necessary socioemotional skills to achieve this goal. A quasi-experimental design was implemented which included 647 students in five private subsidized schools in Santiago, Chile. Evaluation with Anova analysis of repeated measures showed an impact of the program on students’ self-esteem reported by the teacher (measured with TAE). Seemingly, the program mitigated the decrease in the perception of school social climate (measured with ECLIS), in social integration, and in academic performance, as observed in the control group. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the development of interventions in this field.

Heterogeneity in Responses to a Universal Prevention Program

Because universal or primary prevention strategies often target heterogeneous populations, their effects may likewise be expected to be heterogeneous. We sought to explore the heterogeneity of outcomes of previously published results of a longitudinal Swedish study of a school-based socio-emotional learning program. By applying latent class regression analysis to two measures of well-being, we found three significantly different classes with different change trajectories that yielded different outcomes. We conclude that restricting outcome analyses of primary prevention programs to sample means may conceal important heterogeneity regarding individual outcomes.

Once More With Feeling

We are interested in how digital games can be designed for learning in the affective domain. Our studies of how emotions are embedded in games and how games sustain affective learning involve observing gameplay and identifying recurring elements that we identify as design patterns. Design patterns help us think about the role of affect in play, what affect in games looks like, and the different ways affective learning might be achieved in educational and serious games. In this article, we describe and discuss several patterns related to understanding emotions, affective representation, and socioemotional interactions, which are essential components of affective learning. These patterns provide a language to conceptualize how affective learning might be designed into future game projects. To conclude, we discuss the development of a taxonomy of affective patterns to sustain socioemotional learning. We thus hope to stimulate the development of more human-oriented educational games in this domain.

Neighborhood Crime and School Climate as Predictors of Elementary School Academic Quality: A Cross‐Lagged Panel Analysis

Past research has found negative relationships between neighborhood structural disadvantage and students' academic outcomes. Comparatively little work has evaluated the associations between characteristics of neighborhoods and schools themselves. This study explored the longitudinal, reciprocal relationships between neighborhood crime and school-level academic achievement within 500 urban schools. Results revealed that higher neighborhood crime (and particularly violent crime) predicted decreases in school academic achievement across time. School climate emerged as one possible mechanism within this relationship, with higher neighborhood crime predicting decreases in socioemotional learning and safety, but not academic rigor. All three dimensions of school climate were predictive of changes in academic achievement. Although this research supports a primarily unidirectional hypothesis of neighborhoods' impacts on embedded settings, additional work is needed to understand these relationships using additional conceptualizations of neighborhood climate.

A longitudinal examination of socioemotional learning in African American and Latino boys across the transition from pre‐K to kindergarten.

Questions about socioemotional learning in boys of color (BOC) arise in light of the disproportionate rates of school adjustment difficulties BOC experience by adolescence. Socioemotional competence in BOC is assessed in terms of self-regulation, interpersonal skills, and positive relationships with peers and teachers when they enter pre-K. Changes in competence are tracked until the end of kindergarten. Teachers from randomly selected early childhood programs in 11 states rated children's socioemotional competence in the fall and spring of pre-K. Children were followed through the end of kindergarten. Analyses compared Black (n=278) and Latino (n=347) boys to girls of color (n=624) and White children (n=1,209) while controlling for family poverty. Pre-K teachers rated a majority of BOC proficient on self-regulation and peer relations. BOC did not differ from White boys on initial competence ratings or on development over time, although boys as a group were rated as less competent than girls. Although gender mattered in the initial assessment of socioemotional competence, gender was unrelated to change in competence over time. The longitudinal analyses showed a decline in teacher ratings of socioemotional competence from pre-K to kindergarten. This decline was most likely attributable to the demands, structure, and didactic approaches common in kindergarten. Social competence did predict academic skills. Self-regulation of emotions was the domain most consistently related to academic functioning. The vulnerability BOC experience during adolescence is not evident in the levels of social competence they demonstrate early in their lives at school.