Social-emotional skills development among young adults in Malaysia

This qualitative study examined social-emotional skills development among Malaysian tertiary education students using Constructivist Grounded Theory approach with 73 participants. The research identified "Experiential Social-Emotional Navigation" as the core developmental process, operating through four properties: interpretive construction, contextual responsiveness, reflexive adaptation, and integrative synthesis. Development occurred cyclically rather than linearly, with students returning to foundational competencies when facing challenges. The study revealed institutional disparities between public and private universities and demonstrated how students maintain cultural authenticity while building cross-cultural competencies. The findings suggested the need for culturally-responsive educational approaches that facilitate experiential meaning-making rather than standardised skills acquisition.