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":"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":"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":"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":"Navigating social and emotional learning evidence in a polarized socio-political environment: A qualitative pilot study of SEL stakeholders","authors":"Michael F. McCarthy ,&nbsp;Eliya Ahmad Herskowitz ,&nbsp;Sophie P. Barnes ,&nbsp;Zi Jia Ng ,&nbsp;Cheyeon Ha ,&nbsp;Christina Cipriano","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100170","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100170","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An increasingly polarized socio-political climate is diminishing the public's confidence in the SEL research evidence. In some cases, producing misinformation – or false evidence- as well as disinformation – or intentionally false evidence. Both have the potential to contribute to exclusionary policies and inequitable social and emotional experiences for students in the United States. This manuscript explores whether and how SEL stakeholders (<em>n</em> = 25) understand, access, and use evidence to inform SEL-related decisions across professions, including K-12 educators, school administrators, and district personnel as well as policymakers, parents, and SEL researchers and advocates. Results from this pilot study suggest that SEL research evidence currently lacks accessibility for policymakers, educational leaders, and practitioners, and that the evidence that is available is limited in how it can be translated to and used in practice. How stakeholders identify and use SEL evidence is diverse, and most stakeholders access SEL evidence via news and education media. Opportunities for improving SEL evidence understanding, access, and use in the current U.S. socio-political climate are discussed.</div></div><div><h3>Impact statement</h3><div>Findings suggest that SEL misinformation is likely more accessible to decision makers than the evidence that illustrates the success and benefits of SEL programming. Without continued proof and confirmation about what SEL is and how SEL is benefiting the nation’s youth, false narrative surrounding SEL that is being advocated for by specific groups and politicians is likely to prevail, resulting in continued skepticism about the use of SEL approaches in classrooms. This policy analyses and research study yield significant implications for SEL researchers and other stakeholders interested in creating, disseminating, and using SEL research in practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100170"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841714","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":"Critical well-being as a paradigm: Applying indigenous wisdom to transforming systemic SEL","authors":"Roberto Rivera","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100178","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100178","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper critically examines Systemic SEL through the lens of Critical Well-Being (CWB) and calls for a shift from traditional, performance-based success metrics toward a transformative, equity-centered approach. By centering belonging, community-driven priorities, and holistic well-being, CWB reimagines SEL as a tool for fostering healing, justice, and cultural sustainability. Case studies from Kia Aroha Campus and Paseo Robelita Unified School District illustrate how integrating youth and community voices enhances SEL’s alignment with cultural, social, and collective well-being, creating environments where both students and educators thrive. These examples demonstrate that prioritizing holistic flourishing over economic or political outcomes can drive sustainable educational improvements, even amid systemic barriers and politically conservative contexts. This article contends that for SEL to fulfill its transformative potential, educational systems must embrace authentic collaboration, co-creation, and iterative improvement. Placing youth, parents, and communities at the center of decision-making requires redefining success metrics, supporting educators’ well-being, and embedding sustainable infrastructure for long-term community engagement. A CWB-informed approach fosters equity and resilience while addressing mental health and racial trauma. Research highlights that reconnecting communities of color with cultural practices supports both healing and resilience (Chávez-Dueñas et al., 2019), reinforcing the need for culturally sustaining SEL initiatives. This paper reaffirms education’s role as a space for liberation and healing, offering concrete examples of culturally sustaining SEL practices in both global and U.S. contexts. It concludes with key implications for research, policy, and practice, honoring the legacy of Dr. Roger Weissberg and advancing more equitable, community-driven approaches to SEL.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100178"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145978495","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":"","authors":"Mark T. Greenberg","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100169","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100169","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100169"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927724","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":"Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of state legislation related to SEL, gender and sexuality, race and racism, and firearms at school: A source of stress and concern about student well-being","authors":"Summer S. Braun ,&nbsp;Alison L. Hooper","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100139","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100139","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the rise of education-related legislation, research on teachers’ perceptions of this legislation is notably absent. Of focus in this study were four timely legislative topics which have recently received much attention: legislation restricting the teaching of social and emotional learning (SEL), gender and sexuality, race and racism, and allowing educators carrying firearms at school. In reference to these legislative topics, this study assessed pre-service teachers’ support of the legislation, extent to which the legislation was impacting their occupational health, and perceptions of the consequences of the legislation on their students’ well-being. Results from a sample of 92 pre-service teachers indicated varying support for this legislation, but also that the legislation was a source of stress, and that students would be negatively impacted by these policies. Teachers’ support for the legislation and perceptions of impacts on students were correlated with teachers’ political affiliation. Across legislative topics, however, teachers were most united in their support for SEL. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100139"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145060637","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":"Erratum to “Together, We SOAR: A curriculum on compassion, community, and human development for K-12 teachers” [Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy 5 (2025) 100078]","authors":"Blake A. Colaianne ,&nbsp;Barbara Terroso ,&nbsp;Nichole Heindel ,&nbsp;Benn Hoover","doi":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100154","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sel.2025.100154","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":101165,"journal":{"name":"Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100154"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265827","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}