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Behavioral Sciences
Special Issues
Social and Emotional Learning in Schools
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Social and Emotional Learning in Schools

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Educational Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 2039

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Markus Talvio

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00170 Helsinki, Finland
Interests: social and emotional learning; positive psychology; teacher training; phenomenon based learning; prosocial classroom
Prof. Dr. Marco Ferreira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ISEC Lisboa—Instituto Superior de Educação e Ciências e UIDEF—Unidade de Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Educação e Formação, 1750-142 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: teacher training; inclusive education; social and emotional learning; teacher well-being
Prof. Dr. Marlies Matischek-Jauk

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Higher Education Didactics and Personnel Development, University College of Teacher Education Styria, 8010 Graz, Austria
Interests: social emotional learning; health promotion in schools; student engagement in teacher education; professional development of teachers; academic didactics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Teaching social and emotional skills in schools promotes well-being, inclusion, academic achievement, and motivation, while addressing bullying and preventing mental health issues. Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs positively impact socioemotional skills, attitudes, pro-social behavior, behavioral problems, and school performance. Despite variability in SEL content and implementation, recent findings have highlighted the fact that social and emotional competence can be developed in school environments to improve learning and health outcomes. Therefore, against this background, the aim of this Special Issue is to compile recent research on social and emotional learning (SEL), pedagogy, and educational psychology, with a focus on innovative teaching and learning practices across different countries. Moreover, the aim is to present scientific perspectives from various stakeholders, including curriculum developers, practitioners, and researchers, to conceptualize, assess, and develop creative pedagogical concepts beneficial for 21st-century educational contexts. Topics of interest include the integration of SEL into curricula and its impact on student outcomes; strategies for fostering social and emotional competence, empathy, and resilience; the role of SEL in promoting inclusive and equitable education; the assessment and evaluation of SEL programs; and the perspectives of teachers and students on SEL implementation and its challenges. This Issue will also explore how SEL can improve overall well-being and life satisfaction in educational settings.

Abstract Deadline: 31 January 2025
Notification of Abstract Acceptance: 15 February 2025

Dr. Markus Talvio
Prof. Dr. Marco Ferreira
Prof. Dr. Marlies Matischek-Jauk
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social and emotional competence
  • social and emotional leadership
  • school development
  • instruction of social and emotional learning
  • positive psychology
  • teacher training
  • well-being
  • educational psychology
  • pro-social classroom
  • 21st century skills

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

32 pages, 334 KB  
Article
Integrating Social and Emotional Learning into Mathematics Education: A Multiple Case Study of JUMP Math’s Approach to Creating Socially and Emotionally Supportive Learning Environments
by Tonje M. Molyneux and Adele Diamond
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(10), 1426; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15101426 - 20 Oct 2025
Viewed by 608
Abstract
Integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) into academic instruction may improve well-being and achievement. In mathematics—where anxiety and negative attitudes often hinder learning—SEL may be especially useful. This multiple case study examined how a math curriculum that explicitly embeds SEL principles shapes learning [...] Read more.
Integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) into academic instruction may improve well-being and achievement. In mathematics—where anxiety and negative attitudes often hinder learning—SEL may be especially useful. This multiple case study examined how a math curriculum that explicitly embeds SEL principles shapes learning environments and teacher/student experiences. Using a multiple case study design, we conducted classroom observations, teacher interviews, and check-ins in six Grade 5–7 classrooms implementing JUMP Math, a program that centers social–emotional well-being. Three themes characterized the SEL-integrated environment: (1) Teaching Energy—steady pacing, enthusiastic delivery, and humor; (2) Learning Harmony—progressing together, peer help, and the normalization of mistakes; and (3) Emotional Stability—supportive feedback, invitations to participate, and respectful, responsive interactions. Teachers reported greater confidence and reduced math anxiety; students showed higher engagement, cooperation, and resilience in problem-solving. Findings indicate that math curricula intentionally designed with SEL can create emotionally supportive classrooms that benefit both teachers and students, while advancing academic goals. The findings contribute to understanding how academic instruction can be leveraged to develop social and emotional competence while maintaining focus on academic achievement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Learning in Schools)
15 pages, 270 KB  
Article
The Narrow Corridor of Heartfelt Leadership: Social and Emotional Leadership Practices in Bureaucratic School Cultures
by Sevgi Yıldız
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(10), 1316; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15101316 - 26 Sep 2025
Viewed by 428
Abstract
This qualitative study examines how school administrators enact “heartfelt leadership”—a socially and emotionally attuned form of leadership—within Türkiye’s bureaucratic school cultures. Using semi-structured interviews with six administrators and six teachers across primary, secondary, and high school, we employed a basic qualitative design with [...] Read more.
This qualitative study examines how school administrators enact “heartfelt leadership”—a socially and emotionally attuned form of leadership—within Türkiye’s bureaucratic school cultures. Using semi-structured interviews with six administrators and six teachers across primary, secondary, and high school, we employed a basic qualitative design with maximum-variation sampling. Thematic content analysis yielded four themes: (1) principals acknowledge the humanity of their teachers; (2) principals prioritize relationships and go beyond formal duties; (3) bureaucracy constrains but does not fully silence heartfelt leadership; and (4) heartfelt leadership fosters motivation, resilience, and retention. Heartfelt leadership was marked by empathy, recognition of significant moments, and proactive care that extends beyond job descriptions, cultivating trust, motivation, and commitment. Yet rigid procedures and centralized decision-making limited leaders’ autonomy and responsiveness. No consistent gender differences emerged among principals, because all participating teachers were female; therefore, cross-gender comparisons among teachers were not possible. Theoretically, the study bridges emotional-intelligence and bureaucratic-organization scholarship, showing how relational leadership can be sustained in centralized systems through micro-level strategies. Empirically, it broadens global leadership discourse by examining emotional leadership in a non-Western, bureaucratic context. Practically, findings suggest embedding social and emotional competencies in leadership preparation and enabling greater discretionary authority for responsive, human-centered school leadership. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Learning in Schools)
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