Project Activities
The researchers will (1) conduct a comprehensive, efficient, and frequently updated LSR of USB SEL interventions on student academic, social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes in the United States; (2) develop the LSR infrastructure that renders a free, public, and online dashboard that displays data visualizations and meta-analytic findings and allows for user-interactive analyses; and (3) engage SEL stakeholders in the development and refinement of the LSR and dashboard to optimize utility. Over the 4 years of this project, the researchers will conduct six updates of the original systematic review.
Structured Abstract
Setting
The LSR includes published and unpublished studies written in English focusing on universal social and emotional interventions that target one or more intra- and interpersonal skills of learners in grades K–12.
Sample
Studies included in LSR will have a randomized or quasi-experimental design, include a control group (wait list, or attention placebo), involve at least six sessions if it was classroom-based or lasted for at least 4 months if it was a whole school approach, disseminated in English in the United States after January 1, 2020 (including online first publications), and allows for the calculation of effect sizes by data included in the study report or provided by the authors.
To investigate the underpinnings of effective SEL programs through the LSR, the researchers will extract extensive intervention and study metrics including the quality of the study design, intervention implementation fidelity, intervention content (skills and competencies), length of individual sessions and program, delivery format (educators or non-educators), theoretical underpinnings, integration with academic instruction, and programs with sequenced, active, focused, and explicit (SAFE) considerations. They will also include outcomes focusing on the learners' skills, attitudes or beliefs, prosocial behaviors, externalizing behaviors, civic attitudes and behaviors, peer relationships, emotional distress, school functioning, disciplinary outcomes, school climate and safety, family relationships, and physical health outcomes. Furthermore, they will also extract study quality, intervention content (skills and competencies) as well as number or combination and sequencing, and intervention characteristics (for example, length, theoretical underpinnings, delivery format, SAFE, integration of the intervention into academic instruction, or intervention dosage and sequencing).
Research design and methods
The researchers will adopt a convergent parallel design informed by action research integrating stakeholder feedback in the building and refinement of the LSR reports and dashboard. Phase 1 of the study involves developing the infrastructure for launching the LSR and completing the first update to the LSR report and surveying of SEL stakeholders. Phase 2 involves completing the second update, refinement of the LSR infrastructure, design of initial LSR dashboard, and focus groups with SEL stakeholders regarding the use of the beta dashboard. Phases 3 and 4 include updates (every 6 months) with subsequent reports, refinement to the LSR, and dashboard that are informed by brief user exit tickets.
Control condition
Studies in the LSR will include a control group (wait list, or attention placebo).
Key measures
The key measures include all measures of student academic, social, and emotional outcomes organized in twelve empirically validated domains: skills, attitudes/beliefs, prosocial behaviors, externalizing behaviors, civic attitudes and behaviors, peer relationships, (emotional distress, school functioning, disciplinary outcomes, school climate and safety, family relationships, and physical health outcomes.
Data analytic strategy
The researchers will utilize correlated and hierarchical effects models facilitated by the clubSandwich package in R. They will also use meta-regression models that compare different participants' demographics or program characteristics to SEL program effectiveness.
People and institutions involved
Project contributors
Products and publications
Products: The project team will produce a living systematic review (LSR) for USB SEL programs in the U.S., including reports and a data dashboard for stakeholder use.
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Related projects
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
