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Children and youth’s mental health are raising great concerns across the globe. Existing evidence worldwide has demonstrated the promising use and effects of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs, including reduced problem behaviors, improved mental health, as well as academic performances (Cipriano et al., 2024; Durlak, 2022). Despite the growing interest and endeavors in both academic and practical realms about SEL programs across mainland China, there is a paucity of evidence concerning the synthesized impacts of these programs, particularly in school-based contexts. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to investigate and calibrate the characteristics, adaptation, quality, as well as the impacts of school-based SEL programs targeting children and adolescents living in mainland China.
Methods:
Following the PRISMA guideline, this study developed a thorough list of key search terms and conducted searches in both English and Chinese databases, including EBSCO, ProQuest, Web of Science, as well as CNKI. Additional searches were conducted through checking reference lists and grey literature. Search records were screened independently based on the pre-determined PICOS inclusion criteria by three authors after the removal of duplicates, followed by comparison and discussion until consensus on the included articles was reached. Relevant data regarding program characteristic, adaptations, as well as SEL-related outcomes from included studies were further extracted, analyzed, and synthesized for assessment and meta-analysis. Overall and subgroup pooled effect sizes on outcomes were estimated for studies containing sufficient statistical data based on standard mean differences (SMDs) models.
Findings:
The study screened 3,658 search records identified through searches, of which 36 met the systematic review inclusion criteria. Included studies involved a total number of 13,567 school-aged children living in mainland China. Majority of the included studies used quasi-experimental designs (N=21), targeted elementary-level students (N=20), and involved teachers as primary program implementers (N=19). Regarding the cultural adaptation, while more than half of the studies (n=20) provided some levels of details on how programs were specifically adapted or developed within Chinese context, the rest (n=17) failed to offer sufficient accounts of such information. Study quality assessment reveals an overall score of 7.16 (SD=1.19) across all included studies. Pooled effects based on SMD models by outcome showed statistically significant small effects in reducing students’ depressive symptoms (ES=-0.09; 95% CI: -0.16, -0.02) as well as improving their social awareness (ES=0.01; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.20). Nevertheless, no effects were found on students’ anxiety (ES=0.14; 95% CI: -0.32, 0.60) as well as self-awareness (ES=2.03; 95% CI: -1.19, 5.26).
Conclusions & Implications:
The findings of systematic review and meta-analysis study reveal a growing number of school-based SEL programs targeting children and youth in mainland China and demonstrate promising benefits of these programs on students’ mental health as well as social and emotional competencies. However, findings also suggest many included SEL programs lack adequate cultural adaptations, face rigorous design and covariate control challenges, and exhibit limited effectiveness. Future scholarly investigations are needed to address these pressing challenges and seek effective strategies to enhance its impacts for school-aged children and youth in mainland China.