Unveiling the Implementation of Social- Emotional Learning among College Students: A Systematic Literature Review
Keywords:
Social-Emotional Learning; Systematic Literature Review; Higher Education; Academic Success; Student Well-beingAbstract
Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a cornerstone of holistic education, emphasizing the development of students’ emotional intelligence, interpersonal competence, and psychological resilience. This systematic literature review synthesizes findings from 26 peer-reviewed studies published between 2012 and 2024, focusing on the implementation of SEL programmes in tertiary education. The review explores key factors shaping successful SEL integration, including institutional support, educator preparedness, and cultural relevance. It also examines the influence of SEL on students’ academic performance, retention, and well-being. Findings suggest that SEL interventions contribute significantly to academic success and emotional health through mechanisms such as enhanced self-awareness, improved self-regulation, and stronger social connections. Challenges related to cultural adaptability, educator training, and programme sustainability are also highlighted. Best practices emerging from the literature include embedding SEL into both curricular and co-curricular domains, adopting context-specific approaches, and prioritizing inclusive, student-centred programme designs that reflect diverse learning needs. This review concludes with recommendations for future research, including the need for longitudinal studies to assess sustained outcomes, comparative analyses across disciplines and educational systems, and the exploration of technology-mediated SEL interventions in increasingly digital learning environments. Collectively, this review underscores SEL’s transformative potential to enrich higher education settings and promote student success both within and beyond the classroom.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.5.20
References
Alam, A., & Mohanty, A. (2023). Cultural beliefs and equity in educational institutions: exploring the social and philosophical notions of ability groupings in teaching and learning of mathematics. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2023.2270662
Barnes, T. N., & McCallops, K. (2019). Perceptions of culturally responsive pedagogy in teaching SEL. Journal for Multicultural Education, 13(1), 70–81. https://doi.org/10.1108/jme-07-2017-0044
Bosacki, S., Talwar, V., & Lecce, S. (2023). Critical Review: Secondary School Climate and Adolescents’ Emotional Well-Being. Adolescents, 3(3), 508–523. https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents3030036
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32(7), 513–531. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.32.7.513
Carranza, P. R., Boat, A. A., & Hsieh, T. (2023). School-Based Discrimination and Social-Emotional Learning Among Latinx Youth: The Moderating Role of School Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Youth & Society, 0044118X2311703. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118x231170314
Corcoran, R. P., Cheung, A., Kim, E., & Xie, C. (2018). Effective universal school-based social and emotional learning programmes for improving academic achievement: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 50 years of research. Educational Research Review, 25, 56–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2017.12.001
Devis-Rozental, C. (2018). Developing Socio-Emotional intelligence in higher Education scholars. In Springer eBooks. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94036-6
Domitrovich, C. E., Li, Y., Mathis, E. T., & Greenberg, M. T. (2019). Individual and organizational factors associated with teacher self-reported implementation of the PATHS curriculum. Journal of School Psychology, 76, 168–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2019.07.015
Donahue-Keegan, D., Villegas-Reimers, E., & Cressey, J. (2019). Integrating Social-Emotional learning and culturally responsive teaching in teacher education preparation Programmes: the Massachusetts experience so far. Teacher Education Quarterly, 46(4), 150–168. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1231504.pdf
Dowling, K., & Barry, M. M. (2020). The effects of implementation quality of a School-Based Social and Emotional Well-Being Programme on students’ outcomes. European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education, 10(2), 595–614. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe10020044
Elmi, C. (2020). Integrating social emotional learning strategies in higher education. European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education, 10(3), 848–858. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe10030061
Fitzgerald, M. M., Shipman, K., Pauletic, M., Ellesworth, K., & Dymnicki, A. (2022). Promoting educator social emotional competence, well-being, and student–educator relationships: A pilot study. Mental Health & Prevention, 26, 200234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2022.200234
Gay, G. (2015). The what, why, and how of culturally responsive teaching: international mandates, challenges, and opportunities. Multicultural Education Review, 7(3), 123–139. https://doi.org/10.1080/2005615x.2015.1072079
Ghamrawi, N., Shal, T., & Ghamrawi, N. A. R. (2023). Exploring the impact of AI on teacher leadership: regressing or expanding? Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12174-w
Greenberg, M. T. (2023). Evidence for social and emotional learning in schools. https://doi.org/10.54300/928.269
Grunewald, N. M., & Foley?Nicpon, M. (2023). Exploring the utility of community?based participatory research to investigate mindfulness?based interventions in schools. Psychology in the Schools, 61(1), 398–412. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.23059
Guillén, M. E., Monferrer, D., Rodríguez, A. D., & Tena, M. Á. M. (2021). Does emotional intelligence influence academic performance? The role of compassion and engagement in Education for Sustainable Development. Sustainability, 13(4), 1721. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041721
Hashim, M. a. M., Tlemsani, I., & Matthews, R. (2021). Higher education strategy in digital transformation. Education and Information Technologies, 27(3), 3171–3195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10739-1
Hayashi, A., Liew, J., Aguilar, S. D., Nyanamba, J. M., & Zhao, Y. (2022). Embodied and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in Early Childhood: Situating culturally relevant SEL in Asian, African, and North American contexts. Early Education and Development, 33(5), 746–763. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2021.2024062
Hulvershorn, K., & Mulholland, S. (2018). Restorative practices and the integration of social emotional learning as a path to positive school climates. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, 11(1), 110–123. https://doi.org/10.1108/jrit-08-2017-0015
Jagers, R. J., Rivas-Drake, D., & Williams, B. (2019). Transformative Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): toward SEL in service of educational equity and excellence. Educational Psychologist, 54(3), 162–184. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2019.1623032
Jagers, R. J., Skoog-Hoffman, A., Barthelus, B., & Schlund, J. (2021). Transformative social Emotional learning: in pursuit of educational equity and excellence. The American Educator, 45(2), 12. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1304336.pdf
Kurdi, V., Joussemet, M., & Mageau, G. A. (2021). A Self-determination Theory Perspective on social and Emotional learning. In Advances in motivation and achievement (pp. 61–78). https://doi.org/10.1108/s0749-742320210000021005
Leyva, D., Weiland, C., Shapiro, A., Yeomans-Maldonado, G., & Febles, A. (2021). A strengths?based, culturally responsive family intervention improves Latino kindergarteners’ vocabulary and approaches to learning. Child Development, 93(2), 451–467. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13698
Mahoney, J. L., Durlak, J. A., & Weissberg, R. P. (2018). An update on social and emotional learning outcome research. Phi Delta Kappan, 100(4), 18–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721718815668
Martela, F., & Sheldon, K. M. (2019). Clarifying the concept of Well-Being: psychological need satisfaction as the common core connecting eudaimonic and subjective Well-Being. Review of General Psychology, 23(4), 458–474. https://doi.org/10.1177/1089268019880886
McCall, C. S., Romero, M. E., Yang, W., & Weigand, T. (2022). A call for Equity-Focused Social-Emotional learning. School Psychology Review, 52(5), 586–607. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966x.2022.2093125
McCormick, M. P., Neuhaus, R., Horn, E. P., O’Connor, E., White, H. I., Harding, S., Cappella, E., & McClowry, S. (2019). Long-Term effects of Social–Emotional learning on receipt of special education and grade retention: evidence from a randomized trial of INSIGHTS. AERA Open, 5(3), 233285841986729. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419867290
McCormick, M. P., Neuhaus, R., O’Connor, E., White, H. I., Horn, E. P., Harding, S., Cappella, E., & McClowry, S. (2020). Long-Term Effects of Social-Emotional Learning on Academic Skills: Evidence from a Randomized Trial of INSIGHTS. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 14(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2020.1831117
Newaz, D. (2023). Beyond academic outcomes: The role of social and emotional learning in rethinking quality education in low-income countries. International Review of Education, 69(4), 511–528. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-023-10006-0
O’Connor, C. A., Dyson, J., Cowdell, F., & Watson, R. (2017). Do universal school?based mental health promotion programmes improve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people? A literature review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(3–4). https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14078
Paolini, A. (2019). Social Emotional Learning: Role of the school counsellor in promoting college and career readiness. Anatolian Journal of Education, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.29333/aje.2019.411a
Petticrew, M., & Roberts, H. (2008). Systematic reviews in the Social Sciences: A Practical Guide. John Wiley & Sons.
Poláková, P., & Klímová, B. (2022). Vocabulary Mobile learning application in Blended English Language learning. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.869055
Ramirez, T., Brush, K., Raisch, N., Bailey, R., & Jones, S. M. (2021). Equity in Social Emotional Learning Programmes: A content analysis of equitable practices in PreK-5 SEL programmes. Frontiers in Education, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.679467
Richards, K. A., Hemphill, M. A., & Wright, P. M. (2023). Qualitative research and evaluation in physical education and sport pedagogy. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860
Schiepe-Tiska, A., Dzhaparkulova, A., & Ziernwald, L. (2021). A Mixed-Methods approach to investigating social and emotional learning at schools: teachers’ familiarity, beliefs, training, and perceived school culture. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.518634
Stark, L., Robinson, M. V., Gillespie, A., Aldrich, J., Hassan, W., Wessells, M., Allaf, C., & Bennouna, C. (2021). Supporting mental health and psychosocial wellbeing through social and emotional learning: A participatory study of conflict-affected youth resettled to the U.S. BMC Public Health, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11674-z
?tefan, C. A., D?nil?, I., & Cristescu, D. (2022). Classroom-Wide School Interventions for Preschoolers’ Social-Emotional Learning: A Systematic Review of Evidence-Based Programmes. Educational Psychology Review, 34(4), 2971–3010. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-022-09680-7
Todd, C., Smothers, M., & Colson, T. (2022). Implementing SEL in the Classroom: A Practitioner perspective. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 95(1), 18–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2021.2016566
Walker, G., & Weidenbenner, J. V. (2019). Social and Emotional Learning in the age of virtual play: technology, empathy, and learning. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, 12(2), 116–132. https://doi.org/10.1108/jrit-03-2019-0046
Williamson, B. (2019). Psychodata: disassembling the psychological, economic, and statistical infrastructure of ‘social-emotional learning.’ Journal of Education Policy, 36(1), 129–154. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2019.1672895
Wong, Z. Y., & Liem, G. a. D. (2021). Student engagement: current state of the construct, conceptual refinement, and future research directions. Educational Psychology Review, 34(1), 107–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09628-3
Zhang, Z., & McNamara, O. (2018). A socio-ecological perspective on student engagement. In Springer eBooks (pp. 43–55). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1721-7_3
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Dan Wang, Zahari Ishak
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
All articles published by IJLTER are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivatives 4.0 International License (CCBY-NC-ND4.0).
