Schoolwide Social Emotional Learning and Bullying Victimization: How Does School Climate Matter?

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: New Evidence for What Works in School Climate Improvement

Abstract

Guided by the perspectives from school-wide social emotional learning (SEL) approach and social-ecological model, hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the associations between students’ perceptions of four core SEL competencies, school climate and bullying victimization (BV) among 23,532 students from 90 schools in Delaware. Controlling for demographic factors and school climate, three SEL competencies (i.e., responsible decision-making, social awareness, relationship skills, and self-management) were concurrently and significantly associated with BV. Social awareness and self-management’s associations with BV were both mitigated in schools with more positive student-level school climate. Besides, social-awareness and relationship skills’ associations with BV were stronger in middle schools than high schools. The role of school climate in bullying prevention with focus on school-wide SEL are discussed.

Authors

• Chunyan Yang, University of California, Berkeley

• Maggie Chan, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Chun Chen, University of California - Santa Barbara