Effectiveness of a social-emotional learning basic course in fostering social-emotional skills in young children: An intervention study

The Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Basic Course is a SEL approach used internationally. However, in Japan, preventive interventions for school maladjustment in young children are scarce and inadequately validated. This study examines the effectiveness of a SEL program. Two hundred children in the middle (4- and 5-year-old) class of a Japanese Kindergarten participated in this study; of them, 129 and 71 were assigned to the intervention and control groups, respectively. In 2023, the SEL Basic Course program was implemented on a class-by-class basis, comprising 15 one-hour weekly lessons. Kindergarten teachers assessed children’s social skills using the Social Skills Scale, while parents assessed their children’s behaviors using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A chi-square test was used to compare the target attributes of the intervention and control groups at baseline. Differences between groups after the intervention, as well as the baseline–post-intervention changes in the intervention group, were evaluated using t-tests. Children in the intervention group displayed significantly higher assertiveness, self-control, and cooperation scores following the program implementation compared with those in the control group. Furthermore, they exhibited significantly lower scores on behavioral problems after program implementation compared with before the program and with children in the control group. Classroom-based implementation of SEL may be effective in early childhood. Although many SEL programs are designed for at-risk groups, the present findings highlight the effectiveness and importance of a universal classroom-based program that promotes social-emotional skills among all children, regardless of individual risk. • Social-Emotional Learning Basic Course was implemented in kindergarten classes • Control and intervention group skills and behaviors were compared after the course • Intervention group displayed higher assertiveness, self-control, and cooperation • Intervention group exhibited fewer behavioral problems than before the program • Classroom social-emotional learning in early childhood was found to be effective