"In the United States, social-emotional well-being has become a priority because of concerning mental health and well-being outcomes for adolescent youth. High schools and school districts have responded by expanding mental health and social-emotional supports. However, there is little research to understand the ways in which educational leaders—including superintendents, school district coordinators, and principals—organize practices and policies to support social-emotional well-being for high school students.

In this report, the authors seek to close this research gap by presenting findings from a multi-method, multiyear national study on social-emotional well-being supports, focusing on high school students. The authors’ takeaways include insights about high school staffing, high school–specific practices that support social-emotional well-being, equity-oriented social-emotional well-being supports for minoritized students, district-level supports, and challenges to implementing or maintaining social-emotional well-being initiatives at the high school level. The authors also provide recommendations aimed at school district leaders, high school leaders, and educational policymakers."

Kennedy, K., & Wells, J. (2024). Social-emotional well-being for high school students: Guidance for school and system policy and practice. RAND. 

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3377-1.html??cutoff=true&utm_source=AdaptiveMailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=701QK00000I6K6ZYAV&utm_term=00vQK00000CvYNqYAN&org=1674&lvl=100&ite=292299&lea=3909544&ctr=0&par=1&trk=a0wQK000007t2A1YAI

Screen time study

 A recent study found that reducing screen time among children and teens led to fewer behavioral difficulties, with noticeable decreases in peer-related and emotional issues and improvements in positive social interactions. Findings showed that the total difficulties score, which measures behavioral and emotional issues, decreased by an average of 1.67 points more in the intervention group than in the control group.

Schmidt-Perrson, J. (2024). Short-term screen time reduction improves mental health in children and adolescents. JAMA Network Open. 

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/short-term-screen-time-reduction-improves-mental-health-2024a1000d19?form=fpf

Social-Emotional Learning Perspectives

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which students develop interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies. This report presents findings from teachers and principals surveyed. These educators addressed questions about the importance and value of SEL in schools, their approaches to promoting and measuring SEL, and their opinions regarding supports for improving SEL. The findings should be useful to developers of SEL-related resources and to researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

Key Findings

• Large majorities of principals described SEL as a top priority.
• Most educators rated a wide range of SEL skills as important; teachers tended to assign greater importance to SEL skills.
• Educators believed that SEL programs can improve student outcomes and school climate.
• Elementary educators tended to use programs and curricula; secondary school educators tended to use informal practices.
• Educators reported using a variety of strategies; positive behavior systems and trauma-informed practices were common.
• Majorities of educators reported receiving SEL training and that schools measured SEL.
• Many educators reported that having more time would improve their school's ability to address SEL. 

Hamilton, L., Doss, C., & Steiner, E. (2019).Teacher and principal perspectives on social and emotional learning in America's schools. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation.
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2991.html

Social Media Benefits on Youth Confidence

This Common Sense Media study sheds light on teens' changing social media habits and why some kids are more deeply affected by -- and connected to -- their digital worlds. The survey finds large effects of social media on social-emotional wellbeing in making teens feel less lonely and more confident — and that these effects are greatest in the at-risk youth for whom social media is very important.

Common Sense Media (2018). Social media, social life: Teens reveal their experiences, 2018. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/2018_cs_socialmediasociallife_fullreport-final-release_2_lowres.pdf

Social-Emotional Skills in Kindergarten-Age Children

In a study whose goal was to determine unique associations over and above other important child, family, and contextual characteristics, it was found that statistically significant associations between measured social-emotional skills in kindergarten and key young adult outcomes across multiple domains of education, employment, criminal activity, substance use, and mental health. The study concludes that a kindergarten measure of social-emotional skills may be useful for assessing whether children are at risk for deficits in noncognitive skills later in life and, thus, help identify those in need of early intervention. These results demonstrate the relevance of noncognitive skills in development for personal and public health outcomes.

Jones, D. E., Greenberg, M., & Crowley, M. (2015). Early social-emotional functioning and public health: The relationship between kindergarten social competence and future wellness. American Journal of Public Health, 105(11), 2283-2290. http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302630