April 2025: 5 Must-Read Articles From the SEL Journal

Key Points

• Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy (otherwise known as the SEL Journal) is the first independent, open-access peer-reviewed journal focused explicitly on social and emotional learning (SEL). It is meant for academics as well as practitioners and policymakers, aiming to spark innovation and inspire a more connected field.
• Selected by the managing editor of the SEL Journal, these five must-read articles explore topics including anxiety prevention, empathy, moral development in kids, and more.

Article 1: Association between self-efficacy and anxiety symptoms in adolescents: Secondary analysis of a preventive program

Adolescents with greater social and emotional self-efficacy show lower anxiety symptoms, according to this study of an anxiety prevention program in 15 high schools. Self-efficacy not only correlates with but also predicts lower anxiety symptoms over time.

Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s ability to successfully complete actions to achieve a goal. It can be divided into three domains: social, emotional, and academic. Social self-efficacy relates to participating in and sustaining social interactions, while emotional self-efficacy refers to managing and adjusting emotional reactions.

The authors of this study suggest that school-based prevention programs that foster self-efficacy are a promising preventative approach to anxiety symptoms among adolescents—an important priority as anxiety has increased in young people in recent years.

Mousset, E.S.P., Lane, J., Therriault, D., & Roberge, P. (2024). Association between self-efficacy and anxiety symptoms in adolescents: Secondary analysis of a preventive program. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 3, 100040.  

Article 2: Bridging the gap: A longitudinal study on the relation between preschool children’s moral self-concept, normative stances, and sharing behavior

Preschoolers who share more tend to have stronger moral self-concept (a person’s view of themselves as a moral or ethical person) later, making sharing behavior a stable predictor of moral self-concept. Moral self-concept is a key factor in motivating moral behavior, especially prosocial behaviors like comforting, helping, and sharing. This means that moral self-concept and sharing behavior interact over time, shaping prosocial attitudes.

This study highlights preschool age as a critical stage in the formation of moral self-concept. The researchers suggest that early childhood SEL programs should emphasize moral reasoning and fairness, helping young children develop the skills to shape a supportive society.

Schiele, T., Mues, A., Wirth, A., Christner, N., Paulus, M., Birtwistle, E., & Niklas, F. (2024). Bridging the gap: A longitudinal study on the relation between preschool children’s moral self-concept, normative stances, and sharing behavior. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 3, 100027.

Article 3: To be fair: Development and illustration of the Comprehensive Appraisal of Fairness Evidence (CAFE) model to advance SEL assessment practices

Discover a new model for evaluating fairness in the development, interpretation, and use of SEL assessments, along with examples illustrating how to apply this model.

The CAFE Model (Comprehensive Appraisal of Fairness Evidence) systematically assesses fairness through three types of evidence:

1. Procedural: Minimize barriers or provide accommodations for varying literacy levels and linguistic backgrounds. For example, provide translations, large print, or speech-to-text as needed.
2. Contextual: When interpreting and using SEL assessments, consider cultural context (the values, expectations, and norms surrounding SEL behaviors) and educational context (a student’s opportunity to learn and practice the skills being assessed).
3. Consequential: Ensure the outcomes and decisions made based on assessments are fair and appropriate for all students.

Anthony, C. J., Elliott, S. N., DiPerna, J. C., & Lei, P.-W. (2023). To be fair: Development and illustration of the Comprehensive Appraisal of Fairness Evidence (CAFE) model to advance SEL assessment practices. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 1, 100006.

Article 4: Activating Social Empathy: An evaluation of a school-based social and emotional learning programme

Students participating in an empathy-based SEL program in Ireland showed significantly higher levels of empathy over time, compared to students who did not participate in the program. Higher empathy was linked to greater emotional understanding, altruism, and social responsibility.

These findings suggest that empathy is a key predictor of positive adolescent outcomes and should be incorporated into school curriculum.

Silke, C., Davitt, E., Flynn, N., Shaw, A., Brady, B., Murray, C., & Dolan, P. (2023). Activating Social Empathy: An evaluation of a school-based social and emotional learning programme. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 3, 100021.

Article 5: Mapping education leadership of mental health promotion in one school district in British Columbia: A strength-based case study

Turner and Friesen studied how educational leaders successfully implement mental health programs in school districts. They found that a coordinated and collective pattern of distributed leadership, rather than a hierarchical leadership structure, was most effective.

Three key findings emerged:

1. Strong mental health initiatives rely on teamwork, with clearly defined roles shared across the school and community.
2. School leaders need visibility to how these roles communicate and work together, so they can identify areas needing intervention and growth for system improvement.
3. The most effective systems bring together people from different levels, disciplines, and institutions to co-develop innovative ways to remove barriers to mental health support.

Turner, J., & Friesen, S. (2024). Mapping education leadership of mental health promotion in one school district in British Columbia: A strength-based case study. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 3, 100031.

You can read these full research papers and more in the SEL Journal.

Denise Buote is the managing editor of Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy and the director of Arbor Educational and Clinical Consulting Inc. She holds a master’s degree in clinical social work and a Ph.D. in education and has extensive experience in school and community-based research and evaluation. Her work spans provincial, national, and international levels, emphasizing the intersection of education, mental health and well-being, and social and emotional learning.

Related Posts:

• November 2024: 5 Must-Read Articles From the SEL Journal
• 30 Years of SEL Research: What’s New, and What’s Next?
• What Does the Research Say About SEL & Academic Integration?

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