Now Available!
Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice

Edited by Joseph A. Durlak, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg, and Thomas P. Gullotta

The field of social and emotional learning (SEL) is no longer just an idea or a distant goal, and it is no longer the work of a handful of dedicated idealists. This monumental new volume from Guilford Press demonstrates beyond a doubt that SEL is a major new movement with the potential to transform American education.

The SEL field now has a comprehensive and definitive handbook covering all aspects of research, practice, and policy. The editors and contributors describe state-of-the-art intervention and prevention programs designed to build students’ skills for managing emotions, showing concern for others, making responsible decisions, and forming positive relationships. The Handbook explores the conceptual and scientific underpinnings of SEL and its relationship to children’s and adolescents’ academic success, mental health, and overall well-being, including the roles of school- and district-level leadership, teacher training, and school-family partnerships.

Praise from Educational Leaders

“A very important volume for practitioners and policymakers. Until educators come to grips with the full meaning of SEL—its strong theoretical basis, the tools available for applying this knowledge in classrooms, and the very real impacts it produces for students—we will continue to see a disconnect between public education and the needs of the students and society it serves. This volume will be of tremendous use in graduate courses in teacher preparation, educational policy, assessment, school psychology, school counseling, leadership preparation, and program evaluation. Educators will do well to draw from the impressive evidence base and practical implications outlined throughout.”
—Robert C. Pianta, PhD, Dean, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia

“A masterpiece! Durlak and his colleagues have assembled the very best thinkers and writers in the broad field of SEL, and have created a volume that must be on the shelf of every researcher, educator, and student. It is not easy to bridge theory, empirical findings, and practice in this arena—let alone to cut across the silos of biology, psychology, and education—but this book does so, with admirable breadth and depth. For my laboratory’s work on emotional intelligence, we will refer to it often.”
—Peter Salovey, PhD, President and Chris Argyris Professor of Psychology, Yale University

“It has taken educational researchers and reformers far too long to learn what the public has known all along: in order to make their way in life, there are no more important skills for our children to learn than dependability, persistence, and teamwork. Among the exceptional few who have steadfastly promoted the value of SEL are the editors and contributors of this volume. They have served as voices in the wilderness, gathering evidence for and supporting programs that foster these fundamental skills. As evidence has finally started to move the educational reform movement toward a balanced approach, there is no better map to guide future SEL efforts than this rigorous and humane handbook.” —Robert L. Selman, PhD, Roy E. Larsen Professor of Human Development and Education, Harvard University