Comparison of Adolescent SEL Attributes Before, During, and After COVID-19 School Closures

• In Event: Social and Emotional Learning of Diverse Youth

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education and raised concerns about students’ social and emotional development. This longitudinal quantitative study analyzed Panorama Education SEL survey data from 12th graders (Cohort 2023) at an urban high school over a three-year period (2019–2021). Using a repeated measures design, it examined changes in five competencies: perseverance, self-management, self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and rigorous expectations. Results showed significant growth in self-efficacy, rigorous expectations, and sense of belonging. Perseverance and self-management declined during the pandemic but showed slight improvement in 2021. These findings emphasize the need for targeted SEL interventions to support students' well-being post-pandemic.
Keywords: COVID-19, SEL, self-efficacy, Panorama Education, social and emotional development, trauma

Author

• Summer Blount, Wingate University