The SEL Research Group is involved in a variety of different projects around the world, with a commitment towards evidence-based research that supports the positive development of students’ social, emotional, and academic learning. This includes evaluating SEL programs, conducting scoping reviews, interviewing students, educators, and school leaders, and so much more!

Interested in the research we have disseminated? Click here to view our recent publications!

Assessing Prosocial Behavior in Interventions

In order to advance the science and practice of the assessment of prosocial behaviors used in interventions designed to promote prosocial behaviors, there is a need to synthesize the available evidence regarding how prosocial behaviors have been defined and measured in intervention studies. We started by scanning 3,992 relevant articles and extracted relevant intervention and measure information from 531 research articles. Since completing our scoping review, we now aim to expand this information into a compendium of prosocial behavior measures that is publically available to support all researchers studying prosocial behavior.

Read our published scoping review

Well-being Curriculum Project

The Well-being Curriculum Project is a multi-phase project to develop a research-informed K-6 well-being curriculum that promotes social and emotional competencies through the intentional cultivation of positive human qualities  (including gratitude, empathy, compassion, altruism, and resilience), with service-learning experiences and mindfulness practices integrated throughout the curriculum. During the current phase, the project focuses on revising and strengthening the curriculum by incorporating developmental science, educator feedback, and instructional resources to support effective implementation in elementary classrooms.
Learn more about the Well-Being Program

Well-being in Students & Teachers (WIST)

This study aims to understand the effectiveness of the MindUP Program for Educators and MindUP Program for Students in promoting a variety of positive outcomes. This is the first study to look at the potential joint effects of two separate mindfulness-based programs for teachers and students.

Learn more about MindUP

Understanding and Promoting Children’s and Educators’ Well-being in Colombia

The vision for the proposed project is to catalyze the use of research evidence on the well-being and developmental/contextual assets of elementary and high school children, and educators by engaging educators, community partners, and youth in a community in Colombia. Data will be collected at the population level on students’ social and emotional competence (SEC), and resilience. We will also measure educator’s well-being and assets.

Learn about the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI)