Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy最新文献

{"title":"Advancing adolescent flourishing through academic coursework: A developmental blueprint for U.S. high schools","authors":"Blake A. Colaianne ,&nbsp;Timothy M. Wagner","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100179","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100179","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In response to the growing need for scalable approaches to support youth mental well-being, we propose the implementation of credit-bearing high school courses on the science of human development and flourishing. While similar course models have been developed and assessed at the undergraduate level, few have been adapted for the high school context. Drawing on evidence-based youth frameworks, we present a course blueprint designed to nurture adolescent identity, cultivate social and emotional skills, and promote purposeful community. We begin by reviewing research that underscores the importance of flourishing education during adolescence and present a scalable model for implementing such courses into U.S. high schools. We illustrate the potential of this model with example curricular materials and address implementation challenges unique to high school settings in the American public school system, such as scheduling and teacher preparation. Co-authored by a university researcher and secondary school leader, this article aims to advance academic coursework as a viable path to supporting adolescent mental health and well-being.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100179"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Black caregivers’ perspectives on social-emotional development in children ages 3–8: Results of a community needs assessment in Canada","authors":"Sian Day ,&nbsp;Laura Nemi ,&nbsp;Deinma Iruenabere ,&nbsp;Adebola Adefioye ,&nbsp;Mabel Appiah-Kubi ,&nbsp;Ruth Speidel ,&nbsp;Tyler Colasante ,&nbsp;Tina Malti","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100207","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nurturing social-emotional capacities such as emotion regulation and sympathy may promote the well-being of racialized children, including in contexts of marginalization and adversity. However, research with Black children and families is historically limited. The current study explores how Black caregivers perceive and nurture social-emotional development in their children. This study used a collaborative and participatory approach guided by input from two Black community advisors on the study’s direction. Participants were 16 Black caregivers of children ages 3–8 years living in Peel Region, Ontario, Canada who participated in virtual focus group interviews. Caregivers were asked about their perspectives on social-emotional development, strategies they use to promote social-emotional development in their children, and feedback for improving services in the community. A reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data and identify key themes. Results revealed four themes: 1) Black caregivers value strong social-emotional capacities in their children, 2) Black children show strengths in their social-emotional capacities, 3) Black caregivers engage in active and intentional strategies to nurture their children’s social-emotional capacities, and 4) Black caregivers recommend strategies for service providers to demonstrate cultural competency and create space for Black communities and culture. The results of this study can be applied to inform tailored, community-based initiatives that aim to enhance cultural competency in services and reduce systemic inequalities in care for Black children and families in Canada.</div></div><div><h3>Impact Statement</h3><div>This paper addresses gaps in the literature surrounding the social-emotional and mental health strengths and needs of Black children and families in Canada by drawing on the voices and perspectives of the Black community. Focus group interviews were conducted with Black caregivers to understand how they perceive and foster the social-emotional development of their Black children. Results highlight Black caregivers’ active promotion of their children’s positive social-emotional development and opportunities to improve services in the community. Researchers, educators, and policymakers can use these findings to tailor culturally competent community-based initiatives and services to the strengths and needs of Black communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100207"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148184002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The crossroads of social and emotional learning and critical social justice","authors":"Michael J. Strambler","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100175","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100175","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social and emotional learning (SEL) has seen rapid growth in practice and evidence, yet it is increasingly caught in the crossfire of America’s culture wars. While many view SEL as a necessary tool to address student well-being and school climate, some critics accuse it of being a vehicle for progressive indoctrination. Other critics accuse it of inadequately addressing injustice and argue for integrating critical social justice (CSJ) frameworks into SEL to redress systemic inequities. This paper critically examines the tensions between traditional skills-based SEL and CSJ-oriented SEL, exploring the philosophical and practical divergences between them. It argues that the increasing politicization and conceptual ambiguity surrounding SEL jeopardize its legitimacy and effectiveness. The paper proposes “civic empiricism”—a commitment to open inquiry, rigorous evidence, and pluralistic dialogue—as a guiding principle to help the SEL field navigate ideological divides while remaining anchored to its core mission. Recommendations include fostering intellectual humility, promoting adversarial collaboration, and clarifying definitions around contested social justice concepts such as equity, antiracism, and liberation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100175"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the evidence base of targeted skill-building interventions for improving social-emotional competencies in children at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders","authors":"Erica O. Lee ,&nbsp;Lauren E. Anson ,&nbsp;Gregory J. Benner ,&nbsp;Carolina Kudesey ,&nbsp;Yurou Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often exhibit deficits in social-emotional competencies that hinder their academic and behavioral success. While Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) commonly include universal (Tier I) and behavioral (Tier II) interventions, there is a critical gap in Tier II interventions that explicitly target social-emotional learning (SEL). This systematic review examined 18 peer-reviewed studies evaluating Tier II SEL interventions for K–12 students at risk for EBD. Studies were included if they provided explicit SEL instruction aligned with CASEL’s SAFE framework and measured SEL outcomes. Findings revealed that most interventions targeted self-management, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making, with several demonstrating statistically or educationally meaningful improvements. However, only a subset of studies met the Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) standards for evidence-based practices. Variability in student identification methods, intervention fidelity, and outcome measurement limited the strength of the evidence base. Despite these limitations, the review supports Tier II SEL interventions as a promising evidence-based practice for students with or at risk for EBD. Implications include the need for more rigorous research, consistent implementation practices, and integration of targeted SEL within MTSS frameworks to address the complex needs of this population.</div><div>Impact Statement</div><div>This review of 18 studies shows that targeted Tier II SEL programs can help students at risk for EBD by strengthening crucial social-emotional skills. However, the evidence base is still developing, with gaps in research quality and consistency. For educators, the findings highlight the promise of integrating targeted SEL supports into MTSS frameworks. Investing in stronger research and implementation practices can ensure schools deliver effective SEL interventions to improve academic and behavioral outcomes for students at risk for EBD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100176"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The missing piece: The mediating role of prosocial classroom management practices in understanding the direct relationship between teachers’ and students’ SEC","authors":"Noa Weiss-Klayman ,&nbsp;Mark T. Greenberg ,&nbsp;Daphne Kopelman-Rubin","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100202","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100202","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social-emotional competencies (SEC) have been shown to play an important role in supporting students’ well-being, fostering adaptive social interactions, and enhancing academic performance. The significant role that educational systems play in fostering SEC highlights the need to investigate the underlying processes that facilitate SEC acquisition among students. The Prosocial Classroom Model (PCM) is a well-known theoretical model that proposes a network of bidirectional relationships among factors that contribute to fostering a healthy classroom climate, which in turn supports the development of students’ SEC. While extensive empirical research supports the PCM, some of its mediational pathways remain underexplored. The current study investigates one such pathway, focusing on classroom management practices of the teacher as perceived by students and their role in fostering a positive learning environment that supports students' SEC. We hypothesize that these practices mediate the direct relationship between teachers’ and students’ SEC over the course of the school year. To examine this, 1190 students and 42 teachers from eight schools in different regions of Israel completed a series of questionnaires via the Qualtrics platform. Multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that in classrooms where teachers had higher SEC, students perceived their teachers had implemented prosocial classroom management practices at a higher level, which contributed to their own SEC development.</div></div><div><h3>Impact statement</h3><div>The study findings underscore the importance of teachers’ SEC in shaping prosocial classroom dynamics and provide a foundation for future interventions aimed at enhancing both teachers’ SEC and their prosocial classroom management practices. Such interventions may foster students’ SEC development and contribute to a more supportive and effective learning environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100202"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148184003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When seeing through students’ eyes clouds the view: Rethinking perspective-taking in teacher-focused interventions","authors":"Marjolein Zee","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100177","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100177","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is widely believed that teachers’ perspective-taking can improve students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) and their own social-emotional competencies by fostering a deeper understanding of students’ thoughts, feelings, or viewpoints. It is therefore not surprising that perspective-taking is usually one of the key components in teacher-focused interventions designed to improve various SEL outcomes. Drawing together insights from empirical and theoretical work, this paper focuses on how perspective-taking is embedded in teacher-focused interventions designed to support SEL, and identifies three boundary conditions that may inadvertently limit its effectiveness. These include teachers’ reliance on egocentric and stereotypical defaults when trying to take a student’s perspective, a predominant focus on the perspective taker’s mind when considering intervention outcomes, and potential declines in teachers’ perspective-taking accuracy due to increased confidence. By identifying these boundary conditions, this paper aims to advance a more nuanced understanding of perspective-taking as a mechanism of change and to inform the development of interventions that more effectively foster SEL outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Impact statement</h3><div>This paper reviews how perspective-taking is embedded in teacher-focused interventions designed to support social-emotional learning (SEL), and identifies three conditions that may limit its effectiveness. Drawing together insights from empirical and theoretical work, it offers a more nuanced account of perspective-taking as a mechanism of change. The insights provided may help educators and intervention designers anticipate challenges and strengthen strategies that reliably support SEL outcomes in the classroom.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100177"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preservice English language teachers’ perspectives on social-emotional learning as a culturally situated professional competence in Vietnam","authors":"Thi Yen Tran ,&nbsp;Thi Mai Huong Nguyen","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100206","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100206","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social-emotional learning (SEL) is increasingly discussed in teacher education, yet its meanings and pedagogical enactment remain underexamined in English language teacher education in Vietnam. In this context, values such as care, respect, self-discipline, responsibility, and harmony are familiar educational ideals, but they are not always named or practiced as SEL. This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study examined how preservice English language teachers in Vietnam understood SEL, perceived its relevance to English language teaching (ELT), identified barriers, and articulated preparation needs. Data were generated at a public pedagogical university through a focus group interview with 13 final-year preservice English language teachers and a questionnaire completed by 351 preservice English language teachers. Findings showed that participants valued SEL and associated it with care, emotional regulation, communication, classroom relationships, life skills, learner engagement, and professional growth. However, many understood SEL mainly as caring and supportive teaching rather than as a defined pedagogical construct or a set of ELT practices that can be intentionally planned, modeled, integrated, and assessed. Participants reported only moderate preparedness to enact SEL in ELT. Barriers included limited explicit training, insufficient modeling, inadequate resources and assessment tools, time pressure, examination-oriented schooling, and communication norms that may constrain emotional expression and student voice. The study suggests that the major challenge is not cultural resistance to SEL, but its limited professionalization in English language teacher education. It argues that SEL should be developed as a culturally situated professional competence through explicit instruction, modeling, guided practice, reflection, assessment, practicum mentoring, and program-level support.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100206"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148241084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perceptions, challenges and opportunities of system-level social emotional learning interventions in India","authors":"Saba Ahmad ,&nbsp;Varsha Pillai ,&nbsp;Sreehari Ravindranath ,&nbsp;Pankaj Sinha ,&nbsp;Sharique S. Mashhadi ,&nbsp;Vishal Talreja","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100171","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100171","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article examines the implementation of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives in India's public education system, focusing on three states: Delhi, Uttarakhand and Nagaland. Within the context of India's expansive public education network serving over 167 million students (UDISE, 2022) and the National Education Policy 2020's emphasis on education as “<em>a great leveller and the best tool for achieving economic and social mobility, inclusion and equality</em>,<em>”</em> this article maps seven key policymakers' perceptions of SEL integration in public schools. Through interviews with education department officials, the study reveals growing institutional support for social emotional wellbeing in education, particularly as it relates to future-ready skills development. The findings highlight policymakers' perspectives on SEL's potential impact on student mental wellbeing, moral development, academic achievement and life preparedness, while underscoring the critical role of teachers and school systems in successful implementation. It indicates a fundamental paradigm shift among policymakers interviewed from viewing education as merely knowledge transfer to a comprehensive system supporting both academic and social emotional development. This analysis provides insights into how SEL is being conceptualized and advanced at the state level within India's public education policy framework.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100171"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145771854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Supporting students’ ethnic-racial identity: Considerations for teacher practices, professional development, and preparation","authors":"Maria Radulescu ,&nbsp;Christine Pajunar Li-Grining ,&nbsp;Zahra Naqi-Hasnain ,&nbsp;Sybil Madison ,&nbsp;Guadalupe López Hernández ,&nbsp;Jematur Chepkoit ,&nbsp;Brian Boleaga","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100201","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100201","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Throughout the U.S., school district leaders have been facing challenges with students’ engagement, driven in part by the disconnect between students’ experiences at school vs. in their homes and communities. One way to create learning environments that resonate more with students’ lived experiences may be to focus on the overlap across students’ personal and social identities, which is key to their social and emotional well-being. In particular, students’ ethnic and racial identity (ERI) sits at the intersection between their personal and social worlds. The transformative Social Emotional Learning (tSEL) framework explicitly recognizes the importance of ERI, and tSEL can be used to help promote educational equity given that supporting students’ ERI can yield broad and long-term benefits for youth. This paper reviews developmental research on ERI, describes the tSEL framework, and features the Illinois Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards, which seek to narrow achievement gaps by ensuring that educators are prepared to support and to empower students from diverse backgrounds. In our view, such standards can serve as a mechanism for implementing the tSEL framework. We provide examples of sociocultural approaches that can be applied in developmental ways within classrooms and schools. The paper concludes with future directions for education policy and implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100201"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148184051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does school context shape social and emotional learning implementation? A national study of teachers in urban, suburban, and rural schools","authors":"Joshua M. Lovett ,&nbsp;Kimberly A. Schonert-Reichl ,&nbsp;Summer S. Braun ,&nbsp;Katherine Zinsser ,&nbsp;Rebecca Teasdale ,&nbsp;Annah Rogers","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100203","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2026.100203","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social and emotional learning (SEL) is critical for student success, yet its implementation may vary across different school contexts in the U.S. This study investigated differences in SEL program usage, the integration of SEL into academic instruction, and perceived facilitators and barriers among K–12 teachers in rural, suburban, and urban schools. A cross-sectional design was used to analyze nationally representative survey data from 3897 U.S. public school teachers. Analyses revealed a consistent pattern: compared to teachers in urban and suburban schools, teachers in rural schools reported significantly less use of commercial and school-developed SEL programs, lower rates of integration of SEL into academic instruction, and fewer institutional supports (e.g., SEL-related school improvement plans, professional development opportunities). Furthermore, teachers in rural settings reported significantly greater barriers to implementation, including lack of funding for SEL, insufficient SEL-related resources, and the perception that SEL was not a district priority, compared to those in urban and suburban settings. Taken together, these findings highlight a systemic resource and priority gap that positions students in rural schools for inequitable access to social and emotional development opportunities. Results underscore a critical need for targeted policies, funding, and professional development to build capacity and support high-quality SEL in rural educational contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100203"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148184052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}