Building social-emotional skills in a college career and life planning course: A preliminary investigation of the impact of skills practice on wellbeing

This research presents a preliminary investigation of the implementation and impact of a social-emotional (SE) skill-building curriculum woven into a college Career and Life Planning course, stemming from a research-practice partnership with student-facing university staff. Across four semesters, using a prospective quasi-experimental design, students enrolled in an “as usual” version of the course (n = 58) or an SE-enhanced version (n = 71). Within-group analyses revealed small effects within the SE-enhanced curriculum, in select aspects of social-emotional skills across the semester, adjusting for baseline levels when relevant. Additionally, students in the SE-enhanced course did not display any detriments in career outcomes, nor elevations in perceived stress over the course of the semester. Additionally, among participants in the SE-enhanced class, higher levels of out-of-class skills practice (differentially, compared to far weaker influence of initial levels of emotional intelligence, class attendance over the semester, and grade in the course) significantly predicted greater benefits for numerous social-emotional outcomes, above and beyond baseline levels when relevant. This research indicates promising avenues for programmatic, sustainable efforts to promote social-emotional skills in college students, with benefits that can improve college student access and retention, campus climate, and institutional effectiveness.

Impact statement

This study, exploring the impact of integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) into a college Career and Life Planning course, offers valuable insights into promoting student wellbeing systemically. Students experienced modest improvements in psychosocial outcomes without sacrificing broader course-related benefits. Notably, the more students practiced social-emotional skills outside of class, the more they benefited. Filling a critical need for SEL research-practice partnerships more commonly seen in grades preK-12, this research provides practical, sustainable strategies for promoting college students’ wellbeing, with implications for improved access, retention, and institutional effectiveness. It is a valuable resource for educators, policymakers, and anyone invested in students’ success.