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From Efficacy to Explanation: Advancing Social-Emotional Learning Research and Practice in School Psychology
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DOI：10.1080/2372966X.2026.2664386.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a central component of education, supported by a robust evidence base demonstrating its positive effects. Despite these advances, the field has reached a critical juncture in which demonstrating the overall efficacy of SEL interventions is no longer sufficient for advancing research and practice. Different kinds of research are needed. This shift is not intended to diminish the substantial evidence supporting the efficacy of SEL interventions, but rather to build on this foundation by advancing a more precise and explanatory science of how these interventions operate in practice. This article introduces a curated special topic section in School Psychology Review, highlighting nuanced research on SEL. The 10 featured articles in this issue are organized across three complementary areas: identifying malleable processes that can be targeted within SEL interventions, examining variability in SEL intervention effects, and centering culture in the design, implementation, and evaluation of SEL programming. Collectively, these studies move the field toward a more refined understanding of how SEL interventions function in practice. Implications for school psychology practice and future research are discussed.
Impact Statement
This special topic section advances social-emotional learning (SEL) by moving beyond efficacy to examine how, for whom, and under what conditions SEL works. By focusing on mechanisms of change, variability in effects, and cultural context, these articles promote a more precise, equitable, and practice-relevant approach to SEL in school psychology.
Keywords:
Social-emotional learning
school psychology
culturally responsive practices
mechanisms of change
implementation science
Tyler Renshaw
Journal
IF:
4.2
Papers:
515
Citations:
3.3K
Organization
Cited Papers