An exploratory evaluation of universal social-emotional learning programs delivered during elementary school to Australian students

Emma J. Carpendale; Melissa J. Green; Katherine L. Dix; Stacy Tzoumakis; Kate E. Williams; Sonia L.J. White; Vaughan J. Carr; Kristin R. Laurens

doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2025.101447

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An exploratory evaluation of universal social-emotional learning programs delivered during elementary school to Australian students

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

An exploratory evaluation of universal social-emotional learning programs delivered during elementary school to Australian students

Emma J. Carpendale, Melissa J. Green, Katherine L. Dix, Stacy Tzoumakis, Kate E. Williams, Sonia L.J. White, Vaughan J. Carr and Kristin R. Laurens

Journal of School Psychology, Vol.110, pp.1-17

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2025.101447

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Abstract

Collaborative for Academic

Emotional Learning

Primary school

School improvement

School-based mental health promotion and early intervention

Social

Student wellbeing

Whole-school Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs demonstrate promise as an avenue for universally and equitably fostering student social and emotional wellbeing. This study used population data collected in 2015 to examine the association of Australian elementary (primary) school-based SEL programs with students' late middle childhood functioning (aged 11–12 years) on the five social-emotional competencies defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making). A total of 18,643 Year 6 students self-reported competencies on the Middle Childhood Survey–Social-Emotional Learning, and 569 school leaders reported on delivery of SEL to these students via the Survey of School Promotion of Emotional and Social Health. Multi-level regression, accounting for school clustering, compared competency levels among students who did and did not receive SEL at school. Secondary analyses determined the strength of effects for students receiving programs with a high-quality evidence base, for programs supported by little or no empirical evidence, and for evidence-based SEL programs that provided a high degree of explicit teaching (i.e., structured teaching and skills practice) of the targeted social-emotional competencies, each relative to students receiving no SEL programs. Positive significant effects of SEL were observed on four of five competencies (excluding Responsible Decision-Making), with effects being strongest for empirically-evidenced SEL programs that provided explicit teaching of the targeted competency. No significant effects of under-evidenced programs were observed. This novel, population-level evaluation demonstrates the universal benefit of evidence-based SEL programs in supporting elementary school students' development of social-emotional competencies.

Details

Title: An exploratory evaluation of universal social-emotional learning programs delivered during elementary school to Australian students
Authors: Emma J. Carpendale - Queensland University of Technology
Melissa J. Green - UNSW Sydney
Katherine L. Dix - Australian Council for Educational Research
Stacy Tzoumakis - Griffith University
Kate E. Williams - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Education and Tertiary Access
Sonia L.J. White - Queensland University of Technology
Vaughan J. Carr - UNSW Sydney
Kristin R. Laurens (Corresponding Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Publication details: Journal of School Psychology, Vol.110, pp.1-17
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Date published: 2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2025.101447
ISSN: 1873-3506; 0022-4405
Copyright note: © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of School Psychology. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Grants: The role of social-emotional learning in attaining literacy and numeracy, FT170100294, Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
Gender differences in the prevention of youth victimisation and offending, DE210100113, Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
The NSW child development study. Research shows that a child's development predicts health and social outcomes later in life, LP110100150 , Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
Identifying new targets for primary school mental health interventions using population data, 1058652, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - NHMRC
Grant note: Australian Rotary Health Mental Health for Young Australians Research Grant (104090)
Organisation Unit: School of Education and Tertiary Access
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991115152402621
Output Type: Journal article

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Web Of Science research areas: Psychology, Educational

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