How do social and emotional conditions affect learning?

I am particularly interested in long-term SEL programs because we have seen how bullying and other behavioral problems always affects learning and educational progress in our school, where the only response to deal with these situations in my workplace has been short-term, compartmentalized or individualized attention, which all have proven ineffective. Academic performance is consistently lower in my school community in students who initiate anti-social behavior or engage in outright bullying. I am hoping to convince instiutional leaders to implement a universal program like CASEL,

As stated in the CASEL website, "universal SEL interventions promote young people’s social and emotional skills and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in the short term." In comparison, and as is happening in our school, "other approaches have produced inconsistent results (mindfulness interventions) or limited evidence of impact (positive youth development interventions). " https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-does-the-research-say/

Other findings are published in a brief titled_ Research Implications for the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Core Elements in collaboration with The National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention _https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED505369.pdf

This brief also emphasizes the vast information that comes from findings of the largest review of research ever done on interventions that promote children’s social and emotional development, which included more than 700 studies published through 2007 including school, family, and community interventions designed to promote social and emotional skills in children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 18.

The text gives detailed information about the levels of intervention for prevention and individualized attention according to the level of disruptive behavior, but what is important to consider for academic purposes and learning is the following, as stated therein:

SEL instruction can also produce significant improvements in school-related attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Socially and emotionally competent students are better able to take advantage of classroom learning opportunities and experiences and facilitate rather than disrupt the learning of their peers. Furthermore, when teachers integrate the teaching of SEL with academic content, student understanding of subject matter improves. There is also evidence that providing emotional regulation skills actually improves cognitive functioning.

What are the main concepts we need to interpret the evidence?

Again, as in my school, the interest in implementing an institutional or universal SEL program needs to take into account the concept of integration or instruction that will be led by the teachers. Who and how will this instruction be facilitated? Led by whom? Who will be responsible for following through and keeping up with the research and/or findings from the implementation?

Some signposts that could be used of course would be simply measuring academic indicators through time. Given that the evidence shown by CASEL program is that:

SEL interventions that address the five core competencies increased students’ academic performance by 11 percentile points, compared to students who did not participate.
Students participating in SEL programs showed improved classroom behavior, an increased ability to manage stress and depression, and better attitudes about themselves, others, and school.

Other ways of measuring results need to be taken into account and agreed-upon by school leaders and counselors, for example, observable behavior, demonstrations or signs of stress or anxiety; how to measure attitudes about themselves?

Again, and as Dorothy Espelage mentioned, going to meta-analyses gives the information that is necessary and crucial for communities and schools to become convinced of the importance of universal SEL programs.

https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-does-the-research-say/

Consistency across independent research teams offers strong support that well-implemented SEL programs are beneficial.

What might this mean for the practical benefits of SEL? About 27% more students would improve their academic performance at the end of the program and 24% more would have improved social behaviors and lower levels of distress.https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-does-the-research-say/

Where traditional and unfortunately, competitive private schools are concerned, no more evidence is needed, only the right course of action in order to improve learning for students and their overall emotional well-being.