Effective School-Based Social Emotional Learning Programs in Pre-K–12 Classrooms: A Meta-Analysis

• In Event: Division H Virtual Roundtable on Research in Schools

Abstract

This review presents the effects of universal school-based social emotional learning (SEL) programs on the social emotional development of Pre-K-12 students, and explores the relationship between effect sizes and other methodological and substantive features. Unlike previous reviews, the current review employed a more stringent inclusion criterion to select only studies with high methodological quality. The final sample consisted of 59 studies and 62,581 participants, indicating that SEL programs had a positive but small effect on students’ social emotional skills (ES=0.18). The results of univariate subgroup analysis and meta-regression found that sample size, duration and intervention approach were significantly related to the SEL effectiveness. However, other methodological features were not statistically significant, even though there were some differences between subgroups.

Authors

• Jieping Shi, Beijing Normal University
  Presenting Author

• Alan C. K. Cheung, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  Non-Presenting Author

• Aohua Ni, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  Non-Presenting Author