This cluster-randomized pre-post study examined the effectiveness of Character Playbook, a digitally delivered, universal social-emotional learning (SEL) program, in enhancing social and emotional knowledge and confidence among rural middle school students. Pre- and post-assessments and surveys measured students' knowledge and self-reported…

Social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives can have a positive effect on students' emotions and well-being. However, SEL in ESOL classrooms remains underexplored. This article reports on a qualitative study which investigated ESOL learners' perceptions of the effectiveness of SEL strategies in terms of their emotions and well-being. The study…

After a steady increase throughout the middle of the 20th century, arts education has been in decline since the 1980s. Teachers attributed the declines to test-score pressures, budget cuts, or both. These trends have been most pronounced for students of color, who are more likely than white students to attend under-resourced schools and about half…

A classroom guidance curriculum following the dialectical behavior therapy skills training for emotion problem solving for adolescents (DBT STEPS-A) was evaluated using a pretest-posttest nonequivalent groups quasi-experimental design. Data from 94 ninth-grade students (42 treatment, 52 control) enrolled in a rural high school were analyzed via…

This article focuses attention on a critical need for more evidence-based social emotional learning (SEL) programs for middle school students. First, we explore the definition of SEL, pointing out how it has evolved as our world has changed. We review key SEL domains and skills and describe universal school-based SEL programming as one approach to…

The challenges facing adolescents today are greater than ever. It is imperative that students have the social and emotional skills to help them succeed. Mindfulness helps support social, emotional, and academic learning as it assists children in becoming more self-aware and builds self-regulation. Mindfulness is about being present within yourself…

As part of the flourishing line of research into teachers' emotions, we report the preliminary evidences of efficacy of a pilot Italian intervention program conducted following the Ethics of Human Relations (ERH) approach. The theoretical background of the ERH approach is the attempt to integrate the construct of False and True Self with cognitive…

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a three-phased self-directed model in enhancing the social problem-solving skills and the levels of self-determination of students with ASD. A total of 44 junior high school students with ASD were assigned to either an experimental group (n = 24) receiving the three-phased…

School-based empowerment programs are types of interventions targeting students with or without behavioral, psychological, and emotional difficulties at schools. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of a school-based social and mental empowerment program on students' behavioral and developmental problems. We…

Females' participation in outdoor recreation is often limited for a variety of reasons including social gender norms, a lack of exposure, and fear. Research has uncovered a wide range of positive outcomes for those females who do participate ranging from enhanced self-esteem and confidence to improved body image, indicating the importance of…

Gifted youth frequently experience perfectionism, which for some can affect their emotional well-being. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 6-week mindfulness intervention for 42 middle school students who were identified as Gifted and Talented. Participants' levels of self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism, as well as their…

This article posits that the restorative practice of community circles offers middle school students a safe, empowering space where moments of social and emotional strife can be addressed and possibly prevented. It also recognizes that by creating a safe and empowering classroom community, students who have or are experiencing trauma can find…

Early entrance to college, a form of academic acceleration, is an educational alternative that opens pathways for advanced students to have challenging, stimulating, and relevant learning experiences. Children who choose this option enter the adult world several years earlier than most of their age peers. This involves extra growth, adaptation,…

The purpose of this study was to determine if an experimental Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) based alternative discipline policy paired with a community-school partnership, effects suspended students' subsequent suspension incidents. Data were collected from four Midwestern school districts participating in an experimental Alternative to Out…

Gender inequalities still affect the health and well-being of young people worldwide. Given the apprehensions among government and educators in a conservative context like Panama to implement comprehensive sexual education, there is a need for other educational efforts to stimulate healthy and respectful intimate relationships between adolescents.…