{"id":66695,"date":"2021-08-20T17:59:03","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T17:59:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/casel.dev\/what-does-the-research-say\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T14:42:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T19:42:17","slug":"what-does-the-research-say","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/casel.org\/fundamentals-of-sel\/what-does-the-research-say\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does the Research Say?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) are well-researched, with evidence demonstrating that an education that promotes SEL yields positive outcomes for students, adults, and school communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The findings below come from hundreds of independent studies across multiple fields and sources that show SEL leads to beneficial outcomes related to: social and emotional skills, academic performance, mental wellness, healthy behaviors, school climate and safety, and lifetime outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe title=\"The Impact of Social and Emotional Learning\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YMDp8FHvZt0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n  \n          <div class=\"interruptor blue full\">\n      \n      <div>\n                        <div>\n                    <span class=\"h3\">\n            New to SEL and want to learn more? \n          <\/span>\n                    \n          \n                                                                                <div class=h4>Take our free, self-paced introductory course online<\/div>\n                                                      \n                                                                  <a class=ctalink href=\"https:\/\/leadingschoolwidesel.casel.org\/courses\/intro-to-sel\">Learn more<\/a>\n                              <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-benefits-of-sel\">The Benefits of SEL<\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"achievement\">SEL leads to improved academic achievement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When students have supportive relationships and opportunities to develop and practice social, emotional, and cognitive skills across many different contexts, academic learning accelerates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/366301585_What_we_know_and_what_we_need_to_find_out_about_universal_school-based_social_and_emotional_learning_programs_for_children_and_adolescents_A_review_of_meta-analyses_and_directions_for_future_research_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hundreds of studies<\/a> involving more than 1 million students worldwide across PreK-12 offer consistent evidence that SEL has a positive impact on students\u2019 academic achievement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Students participating in SEL at school have higher levels of <a href=\"https:\/\/osf.io\/mk35u\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cschool functioning,<\/a>\u201d as reflected by their grades, test scores, attendance, and homework completion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SEL builds social and emotional skills that increase student engagement and lead to improved <a href=\"https:\/\/learningpolicyinstitute.org\/media\/3977\/download?inline&amp;file=Evidence_for_SEL_REPORT.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">academic performance<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SEL interventions that addressed the <a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/fundamentals-of-sel\/what-is-the-casel-framework\/#the-casel-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">five core competencies<\/a> increased students\u2019 academic performance by <a href=\"https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/impact-enhancing-students-social-emotional-learning-meta-analysis-school-based-universal-interventions.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">11 percentile points<\/a>, compared to students who did not participate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The positive impact on academics lasts long-term: Years after students participated in SEL, their academic performance was an average of <a href=\"https:\/\/srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1111\/cdev.12864\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">13 percentile points<\/a> higher than students who didn\u2019t participate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p><em>SEL programs appear to have as great a long-term impact on academic growth as has been found for programs designed specifically to support academic learning. <\/em><\/p><cite><em><a href=\"https:\/\/kappanonline.org\/social-emotional-learning-outcome-research-mahoney-durlak-weissberg\/\">Mahoney, Durlak, and Weissberg, 2018<\/a>&nbsp;<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Download an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/home\/SELDay%202023\/Social%20Media%20Graphics%20(Public)\/SEL%20Day%2C%20What%20does%20the%20research%20say%3F%20%E2%80%93%20Social%20Media%20Graphics%20(Public)?preview=Infographic%3A+SEL+%26+Academics.png\">infographic<\/a> on SEL and academic performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"wellbeing\">SEL contributes to healthy well-being and safe schools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While SEL does not replace the need for mental health interventions for students who need it, SEL can cultivate important \u201cprotective factors\u201d\u2014caring relationships, safe and supportive environments, social and emotional skills\u2014that buffer against mental health risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Participation in SEL programs is linked to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/366301585_What_we_know_and_what_we_need_to_find_out_about_universal_school-based_social_and_emotional_learning_programs_for_children_and_adolescents_A_review_of_meta-analyses_and_directions_for_future_research_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">decreased emotional distress<\/a>, more positive attitudes about self and others, and fewer externalizing behaviors and discipline problems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SEL enhances young people\u2019s coping skills, resiliency, and emotion identification, which can help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eif.org.uk\/report\/adolescent-mental-health-a-systematic-review-on-the-effectiveness-of-school-based-interventions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reduce symptoms<\/a> of depression and anxiety in the short term.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Students participating in SEL report an increased <a href=\"https:\/\/osf.io\/mk35u\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sense of safety and support<\/a>, better relationships with teachers, and stronger feelings of belonging and inclusiveness in schools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SEL contributes to reductions in <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1177\/0741932514564564\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bullying<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/osf.io\/mk35u\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aggression<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"readiness\">SEL develops skills that promote future readiness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Students who engage in SEL programs see consistent improvements in <a href=\"https:\/\/learningpolicyinstitute.org\/media\/3977\/download?inline&amp;file=Evidence_for_SEL_REPORT.pdf\">social and emotional skills<\/a>, and stronger social and emotional skills contribute to positive lifetime outcomes <a href=\"https:\/\/srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1111\/cdev.12864\">up to 18 years later<\/a>. Students with stronger social and emotional skills are more likely to reach milestones including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ajph.aphapublications.org\/doi\/full\/10.2105\/AJPH.2015.302630\">High school graduation&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/jhr.uwpress.org\/content\/XXXVIII\/3\/701\">Postsecondary enrollment and completion<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nber.org\/system\/files\/working_papers\/w12006\/w12006.pdf\">Stable, full-time employment<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"investment\">SEL is a wise financial investment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Analysis of six evidence-based programs has demonstrated that the benefits significantly outweigh the costs, estimating for every dollar invested in SEL there is an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/272748098_The_Economic_Value_of_Social_and_Emotional_Learning\">$11 return<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cultures\">SEL is effective across cultural contexts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>SEL is consistently effective <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspeninstitute.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/FINAL_CDS-Evidence-Base.pdf\">across demographic groups<\/a>; socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds; and urban, suburban, and rural communities both inside and outside the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But SEL is not \u2018one-size-fits-all\u2019: SEL approaches are most effective when the intervention is designed with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/305371241_The_impact_of_trial_stage_developer_involvement_and_international_transferability_on_universal_social_and_emotional_learning_programme_outcomes_a_meta-analysis\">specific context or culture<\/a> in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"adults\">SEL benefits adults, too<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspeninstitute.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/FINAL_CDS-Evidence-Base.pdf\">A growing body of evidence<\/a> demonstrates that focusing on educator social and emotional competence can also improve teacher well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Educators with strong social and emotional competence report higher levels of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/227662256_Emotion-regulation_ability_burnout_and_job_satisfaction_among_British_secondary-school_teachers\">job satisfaction and less burnout.&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focusing on SEL can help educators build and maintain <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.3102\/0034654308325693\">stronger relationships with students<\/a> and manage classrooms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rwjf.org\/content\/dam\/farm\/reports\/issue_briefs\/2016\/rwjf430428\">Teachers who teach SEL<\/a> to students report feeling more effective at their jobs and lower levels of job-related anxiety.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) are well-researched, with evidence demonstrating that an education that promotes SEL yields positive outcomes for students, adults, and school communities. The findings below come from hundreds of independent studies across multiple fields and sources that show SEL leads to beneficial outcomes related to: social and emotional skills, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":402,"featured_media":71737,"parent":64314,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[194],"class_list":["post-66695","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/402"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66695"}],"version-history":[{"count":47,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66695\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81378,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66695\/revisions\/81378"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/64314"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}