The Relationship between Social Emotional Learning and Life Satisfaction

October 6, 2022

The purpose of the study was to examine the mediating role of academic resilience (i.e., the coping level of an individual who experiences adverse academic events) in the relationship between

adolescents’ social-emotional learning competencies and life satisfaction.

Benefits of Social Emotional Learning

The benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) are well-researched, with evidence demonstrating that an education that promotes SEL leads to beneficial outcomes in SEL competencies, attitude about self & school, conduct problems, emotional distress, and academic performance (https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-does-the-research-say/). The Collaborative on Social-Emotional Learning (CASEL) organization defines five SEL core competencies: 1) self-awareness, 2) self-management, 3) responsible decision-making, 4) relationship skills, and 5) social awareness (Weissberg et al., 2015). 

Research suggests that social-emotional learning competencies and academic resilience predict well-being and life satisfaction. 

The Importance of Academic Resilience

Three hundred seventy-one high school students between the ages of 14 and 19 participated in this study. Participants completed 3 rating scales, and the results were analyzed to evaluate the relationships between SEL Core competencies, satisfaction with life, and academic resilience variables. Aligning with previous research, the results of the current study provide further evidence that: 1) SEL Core Competencies predict life satisfaction and 2) SEL Core Competencies predict academic resilience, and academic resilience predicts life satisfaction (i.e., rendering academic resilience a mediator between SEL Core competencies and life satisfaction).

The Need for Activities that Build Academic Resilience

These findings highlight the importance of incorporating activities that build academic resilience when developing SEL programming.

Notable Quotes: 

“As a result of this study, it was concluded that the academic resilience component is so important in the effectiveness of social-emotional learning competencies predicting life satisfaction.” “The mediator role of academic resilience in the relationship between social-emotional learning competencies and life satisfaction indicates that more attention should be paid to the academic aspect of resilience.”

Personal Takeaway: 

I found this study to be fascinating and would be very interested in learning techniques on how to increase academic resilience in students, as it is an essential factor in predicting life satisfaction.—Ashley Parnell

Turan, M. E. (2021). The Relationship between Social Emotional Learning Competencies and Life Satisfaction in Adolescents: Mediating Role of Academic Resilience. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 13(4).