Practice Profile: School-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs

Evidence Rating for Outcomes

Juvenile Problem & At-Risk Behaviors | Multiple juvenile problem/at-risk behaviors

Mental Health & Behavioral Health | Internalizing behavior

Date: This profile was posted on March 23, 2015

Designed to foster the development of five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective, and behavioral competencies, in order to provide a foundation for better adjustment and academic performance in students, which can result in more positive social behaviors, fewer conduct problems, and less emotional distress. The practice was rated Effective in reducing students’ conduct problems and emotional stress.

Practice Goals

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which students acquire and apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills associated with five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective, and behavioral competencies: (1) self-awareness, (2) self-management, (3) social awareness, (4) relationship skills, and (5) responsible decision-making. Universal, school-based SEL programs are designed to foster the development of these core competencies, and teach students to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve goals, feel and show empathy, establish and maintain relationships, and make responsible decisions (CASEL 2014). These competencies provide a foundation for better adjustment and academic performance in students, which can result in more positive social behaviors, fewer conduct problems, and less emotional distress (Durlak et al. 2011).

Target Population

Universal, school-based SEL programs target all students in the school, and not only those exhibiting problem behaviors. SEL programs have been implemented in elementary, middle, and high schools.

Practice Components

In a school-based setting, SEL programs incorporate two educational strategies that help to enhance school performance and youth development. The first strategy teaches students about processing, integrating, and selectively applying social and emotional skills. Social and emotional skills include identifying emotions from social cues, goal-setting, conflict resolution, and decision-making. Students are taught to apply these skills in developmentally, contextually, and culturally appropriate ways. Some programs teach students to apply SEL skills to prevent the occurrence of specific problem behaviors, such as substance use, interpersonal violence, bullying, and school failure.

The second strategy of school-based SEL programs involves fostering students’ social-emotional development by creating safe and caring learning environments that incorporate peer and family initiatives, improved classroom management and teaching practices, and whole-school community-building activities. This approach allows students to feel valued, experience a greater motivation to achieve, and develop a set of social-emotional competencies that can lead to positive outcomes.

Meta-Analysis Snapshot
	Literature Coverage Dates	Number of Studies	Number of Study Participants
Meta Analysis 1	1970-2007	213	270034

Meta Analysis 1

Durlak and colleagues (2011) conducted a meta-analysis to examine the impacts of school-based programs to promote students’ social and emotional development. A comprehensive search of databases, reference lists, journals, and Web sites promoting youth development and social–emotional learning (SEL) was conducted to identify eligible studies. Studies were eligible for review if they were written in English, appeared in published or unpublished form by December 21, 2007, emphasized the development of one or more SEL skills, targeted students between the ages of 5 and 18, included a control group, and reported sufficient information to calculate effect sizes at posttest and follow-up.

A total of 213 studies that involved 270,034 students were included in the review. The majority of the studies were published in journals or books (81 percent), and most (75 percent) were published between 1990 and 2007. Almost half of the studies (47 percent) used randomization designs. The education level of the participants in the studies varied. Over half (56 percent) were in elementary school (K–5), 31 percent were in middle school (grades 6–8), and 13 percent were in high school (grades 9–12). The majority of the studies took place in the United States (87 percent). Almost half of the studies (47 percent) took place in an urban setting, with 16 percent taking place in a suburban setting, 15 percent taking place in a rural setting, 14 percent taking place in a combination of settings, and 8 percent not reporting the setting.

The outcomes of interest included conduct problems and emotional distress. Conduct problems included measures of different types of behavior problems, such as disruptive class behavior, noncompliance, aggression, bullying, school suspensions, and delinquent acts. The measures of conduct problems could come from student self-reports, teacher or parent ratings, independent observers, or school records. Emotional distress included measures of internalized mental health issues, such as reports of depression, anxiety, stress, or social withdrawal. The measures of emotional distress could come from students, teachers, or parents.

Hedge’s g was the index of effect, adjusted whenever possible for preintervention differences between the treatment and control groups. The method used for all analyses was based on a random effects model, using maximum likelihood estimation procedure.