Peer-reviewed article
A Systematic Review of Socioemotional Learning Interventions for Children and Adolescents
Njenga S, Dzoro E, Ogari W, Wanami M, Khamis A et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review evaluated 69 studies on socio-emotional learning (SEL) interventions for children and adolescents aged 3-17 across the world. The interventions were found to have positive effects on academic achievement, including improved test performance, academic motivation, school attendance, and reduced disruption. Most studies came from North America, with very limited evidence from Africa, highlighting a significant research gap in sub-Saharan Africa.
Key points
- Socio-emotional interventions had positive effects on academic achievement of children and adolescents
- Outcomes included increased student test performance, improved academic motivation and attitudes towards school, and better attendance
- Interventions also reduced school disturbance and improved teacher classroom delivery and parent involvement
- The vast majority of the 69 studies reviewed were from North America, with only one study from Africa
- There is a critical lack of SEL intervention studies in sub-Saharan Africa
Limitations
This is a review of existing studies rather than primary research, so it reflects the geographic and methodological biases of published literature. The review does not provide detailed information about intervention types, cost-effectiveness, or mechanisms of change, and cannot establish causality beyond what the included studies demonstrated.
Abstract
Abstract Background The importance of helping children to develop non-academic skills is increasingly acknowledged as part of the formal education system, with attendant research knowledge to drive a holistic approach to education. This review aimed to evaluate evidence of the impact of socio-emotional interventions on academic achievement of children and adolescents between 3–17 years globally. Methods A search was conducted across seven electronic databases; Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), Web of Science, SCOPUS, PubMed, PubMed Central, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar) and results presented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Results We identified 69 articles on the impact of socio-emotional learning (SEL) on educational outcomes. Most of these studies were from North America with only one study from Africa. The results indicated that socio-emotional interventions had positive effects on the academic achievement of children. These interventions targeted various academic outcomes, such as increased student performance in tests, improved academic motivation and attitude towards school and attendance, reduced school disturbance, and improved classroom delivery of teachers and parent contribution towards the academic journey of students. Conclusion/ Implication: The findings indicate that the implementation of socio-emotional interventions in school settings can have a positive impact on educational performance for children and adolescents. Notably, there is a lack of studies that evaluate SEL interventions in sub-Saharan Africa hence the need for SEL studies with a primary focus on the effectiveness and cost implications in the sub-Saharan African region.