Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)

Social and Emotional Learning Research Review: Evidence-Based Programs

Choosing the best program to implement social and emotional learning in your school can be daunting. Edutopia’s research analyst recommends these research-proven programs.

By Vanessa Vega

November 7, 2012 Updated December 1, 2015

Your content has been saved!

Go to My Saved Content.

Learn more about this program.

Schools That Work: In North Charleston, South Carolina, elementary school girls build strong relationships as part of the WINGS for Kids afterschool program. Photo credit: Grace Rubenstein

Given the strong evidence that social and emotional learning can contribute to academic success, how do educators choose the right SEL programs? See below for our recommendations for some of the most effective research-proven SEL programs available.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Roots of Empathy: K-8

Practices

Outcomes & Evidence

(Schonert-Reichl, Smith, Zaidman-Zait & Hertzman, 2012; Santos, Chartier, Whalen, Chateau & Boyd, 2011; Cain & Carnellor, 2008)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Positive Action: K-12

Practices

Outcomes & Evidence

(U.S. Department of Education, 2007)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Responsive Classroom Approach: K-5

Practices

Outcomes & Evidence

(Brock, Nishida, Chiong, Grimm & Rimm-Kaufman, 2008; Sawyer & Rimm-Kaufman, 2007; Rimm-Kauffman & Chiu, 2007; Rimm-Kaufman, Fan, Chiu & You, 2007)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Second Step: Pre-K-8

Practices

Outcomes & Evidence

(Cooke, Ford, Levin, Bourke, Newell & Lapidus, 2007; Grossman, Neckerman, Koepsell, Liu, Asher, Beland, Frey & Rivara, 1997; Frey, Nolen, Van Schioack, Edstrom & Hirschstein, 2005)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Meditation: K-12

Practices

Outcomes & Evidence

(Schonert-Reichl & Lawlor, 2010; Black, Milam & Sussman, 2009; Barnes, Bauza & Treiber, 2003; Napoli, Krech, & Holley, 2005; Zylowska, Auckerman, Yang, Futrell, Horton, Hale, Pataki & Smalley, 2008; Semple, Reid & Miller, 2005)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Service Learning: K-12

Practices

Outcomes & Evidence

(Hamilton & Fenzel, 1988; Yates & Youniss, 1996; Markus et al, 1993; cited in Stukas, Clary & Snyder, 1999; Scales et al., 2000; Billig, 2002)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support: K-5

Practices

Outcomes & Evidence

(Solomon, Klein, Hintze, et al., 2012)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions (RULER): K-8

Practices

Outcomes & Evidence

(Collaborative for Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning, SEL program guide)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

(*) Programs and practices listed here received support from at least three studies by independent evaluators and/or peer-reviewed publications, using controlled experimental designs and independent outcome measures. Please leave a comment to alert us to additional programs that have strong evidence of success.

Continue to the next section of the SEL research review, Avoiding Pitfalls.