SEL & Academics

SEL interventions significantly improved students’ attachment and attitudes towards school while decreasing rates of violence/aggression, disciplinary referrals, and substance use (Weissberg et al, manuscript in progress).

The influence of social and emotional factors on learning is confirmed by other studies, as well. Based on evidence from 61 educational researchers, 91 meta-analyses, and 179 handbook chapters, Wang, Haertel, and Wallberg (1997) found that social and emotional factors were among the most influential factors on student learning. Particularly high-ranking social and emotional components included classroom management, parental support, student-teacher social interactions, social-behavioral attributes, motivational-affective attributes, the peer group, school culture, and classroom climate. These experts concluded that directly influencing the psychological components of learning is an effective way of changing how much and how well students learn. More...