Long-term impacts of social-emotional learning on mental health
Social-emotional learning is one of the most widely adopted, evidence-based approaches that have been advocated to address the mental health of children and Youth (APA PsycNET) and is increasingly recognized as a foundation for fostering positive mental health in educational settings (cjcmh). By implementing SEL and mental health literacy in schools and in after-school programs, it can help improve the mental health of children and youths. However, what are some of the long-term impacts of SEL on mental health? Let us explore together!
Provided below are two major follow-up assessments from two separate studies that can help give a better understanding of some long-term impacts of SEL on mental health.
Follow-up assessments #1: Seattle Social Development Project Intervention
Assessment description: This study followed up participants to 21 years of age (9 years after the intervention ended) to determine the effectiveness of the school-based SEL program. The study was conducted in eighteen public elementary schools in Seattle (including in high-crime neighbourhoods).
Results: Participants showed higher educational attainment, better employment, less likely to be involved in a high variety of crime, fewer symptoms of social phobia, better regulation of emotions and fewer thoughts about suicide. (Click here to find out more about the study).
Follow-up assessments #2: Meta-Analysis of Follow-Up Effects
Assessment description: This meta-Analysis involving 82 different interventions and more than 97,000 students from kindergarten to high school analyzed the effects of social and emotional learning programs six months to eighteen years after the programs ended. Thirty-eight of the study was conducted outside of the U.S which show that SEL programs are being conducted around the world. The previous meta-analysis showed that SEL programs immediately improved mental health, social skills and academic achievement.
Results: The findings of this meta-analysis showed that SEL boosted the well-being of students and lasting decreases in negative outcomes such as conduct problems, emotional distress, and drug use. 3.5 years after the last intervention shows that the academic performance of students exposed to SEL programs was an average 13 percentile points higher than their non-SEL peers (academic outcomes results based on eight studies but are notable). (Click here to find out more about the study).
The two follow-up assessments above demonstrate the long-term impacts of SEL on mental health. According to the two follow-up assessments, SEL helped students to better regulate their emotions, SEL allowed students to have higher educational attainment, it improved student’s academic performance, it reduced the likelihood of the occurrence of emotional distress, conduct problems, social phobia, drug use, suicidal thoughts and more.
And there you have it, folks!