4 Insightful Studies on Assessing SEL in the Classroom

Selected by the managing editor of Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy (otherwise known as the SEL Journal), these four must-read articles showcase findings about SEL assessment in general and for specific programs. 

Article 1: Predicting student success: Considering social and emotional skills, growth mindset, and motivation

Key Takeaways:

• Social-Emotional Skills and Academic Success: Social and emotional skills, particularly Conscientiousness and Openness, consistently predict GPA, test scores, and positive school behaviors.
• Motivation Adds Value: Motivation measures—like intrinsic goal orientation and self-efficacy—offer incremental predictive power beyond traditional SE models like the Big Five.
• Growth Mindset Is Modestly Predictive: Growth mindset predicts academic performance but with smaller effects; still, its addition enriches understanding of student success.
• Holistic Assessment Matters: Integrating SEL, motivation, and growth mindset into school assessments offers a fuller picture of student strengths and areas needing support.

Daley, N., Murano, D., & Walton, K. E. (2025). Predicting student success: Considering social and emotional skills, growth mindset, and motivation. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 5, 100080. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100080 

Copy & paste to share on social: How do #SEL, motivation, and growth mindset predict student success? 📈 New research finds they each offer unique insights—suggesting a more complete model of student potential. Read here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100080

Article 2: “The Nous Project”: A SEL program to promote emotional self-understanding in elementary school children. 

Key Takeaways:

• Emotion as Reflection: Teaching children to reflect on emotions through metaphors (like a “vegetable garden of emotions”) enhances emotional literacy and self-understanding.
• Philosophy of Care: A pedagogy grounded in the philosophy of care recognizes emotional development as central to educational flourishing.
• Age-Aligned SEL: Targeting 9- to 10-year-olds fills a gap in SEL interventions, supporting transitions into adolescence with reflective and developmentally appropriate tools.
• Qualitative Evaluation is Key: Rigorous qualitative analysis of student diaries demonstrates that even young learners can engage deeply with emotional concepts when supported by thoughtful pedagogy.

Mortari, L., Valbusa, F., & Bombieri, R. (2024). “The Nous Project”: A SEL program to promote emotional self-understanding in elementary school children. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 4, 100060. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2024.100060 

Copy & paste to share on social: How do we teach children to understand their emotions? 🌱 “The Nous Project” explores this through a powerful SEL approach rooted in care and reflection. Read: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2024.100060 #SEL

Article 3: Development of the student emotion regulation assessment (SERA) for children and adolescents in grades 1–12

Key Takeaways

• Vignette-Based Design: Realistic, relatable scenarios help students reflect more accurately on their emotion regulation strategies, enhancing assessment reliability.
• Multi-Strategy Assessment: SERA captures 8 distinct regulation strategies—like reappraisal and emotional support-seeking—across multiple emotional states.
• Student & Educator Voices Matter: The tool was iteratively refined based on input from 8,000+ students and 100+ educators, modeling a co-design approach to SEL measurement.
• Beyond Scores: The SERA platform provides personalized reports, promoting both individual insight and systemic SEL data use at the school level.

Ng, Z. J., Willner, C. J., Hoffmann, J. D., Bailey, C. S., Mack, V., Brackett, M. A., & Cipriano, C. (2025). Development of the student emotion regulation assessment (SERA) for children and adolescents in grades 1–12. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 5, 100104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100104 

Copy & paste to share on social:  How do we assess emotion regulation in real student contexts? Meet SERA, a digital vignette-based SEL assessment for grades 1–12. 🚸📊 #SEL https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100104

Article 4: Effects of the Tools for Getting Along curriculum on teachers’ reports of elementary students’ executive functions, social-emotional skills, and behavior problems

Key Takeaways

• Tier 1 SEL Interventions Can Reach Students with Highest Needs: The Tools for Getting Along (TFGA) curriculum showed greater impact on students with weaker executive functioning (EF) and behavior at baseline, underscoring its potential to support those most in need—without requiring targeted interventions.
• Teacher-Led Implementation is Feasible and Effective: Teachers implemented TFGA with high fidelity and without ongoing coaching, suggesting it’s a scalable and sustainable option that fits within typical classroom practices.
• Improved Executive Functioning and Social Skills: Students in TFGA classrooms demonstrated significant improvements in executive functioning (EF) behaviors and social skills compared to peers in control schools, according to teacher reports.
• Promising Evidence for Equity in SEL Outcomes:  By positively impacting students with more pronounced emotional and behavioral challenges, TFGA demonstrates the value of universal programs in reducing disparities in developmental outcomes.

Garcia, E. B., Woodbridge, M. W., Sumi, W. C., Thornton, S. P., Nakamura, J., Wei, X., Smith, S. W., & Daunic, A. P. (2024). Effects of the Tools for Getting Along curriculum on teachers’ reports of elementary students’ executive functions, social-emotional skills, and behavior problems. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 4, 100070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2024.100070 

Copy & paste to share on social:  New study finds the “Tools for Getting Along” curriculum boosts executive functioning & social-emotional skills in students—especially those with higher needs. A promising Tier 1 intervention for classrooms. 📘👩‍🏫 #SEL.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2024.100070

Related Posts

• May 2025: 5 Powerful New Studies on Teacher Well-Being From the SEL Journal
• April 2025: 5 Must-Read Articles from the SEL Journal
• SEL Journal Recap: 3 Things We Learned About Culturally Sustaining SEL in the Classroom

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