Social and emotional learning and physical health outcomes across the lifespan: Little progress & big potential

This conceptual review addresses the question: Can the development of social and emotional competencies contribute to positive long-term health outcomes? Both current research and theory suggests a logical basis on which to hypothesize that building social and emotional competencies could positively...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Mark T. Greenberg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773233925000324
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850197009448828928
author Mark T. Greenberg
author_facet Mark T. Greenberg
author_sort Mark T. Greenberg
collection DOAJ
description This conceptual review addresses the question: Can the development of social and emotional competencies contribute to positive long-term health outcomes? Both current research and theory suggests a logical basis on which to hypothesize that building social and emotional competencies could positively influence short and long term physical and behavioral health outcomes. The paper reviews a variety of types of evidence including longitudinal studies that connect childhood competencies and adult health and morbidity, concurrent correlations between social competencies and health in childhood, and short and longer-term outcomes of social and emotional intervention trials. The review concludes that there is a sufficient warrant for this idea, but that very few social and emotional intervention studies have examined health outcomes. The paper conclude withs with recommendations for how to grow the evidence base and its implication for research and policy.
format Article
id doaj-art-845a001cd55941fdafdde25af69cbdd8
institution OA Journals
issn 2773-2339
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy
spelling doaj-art-845a001cd55941fdafdde25af69cbdd82025-08-20T02:13:19ZengElsevierSocial and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy2773-23392025-06-01510010810.1016/j.sel.2025.100108Social and emotional learning and physical health outcomes across the lifespan: Little progress & big potentialMark T. Greenberg0Pennsylvania State University, 20416 Beach Drive, Stanwood, WA 98292, United StatesThis conceptual review addresses the question: Can the development of social and emotional competencies contribute to positive long-term health outcomes? Both current research and theory suggests a logical basis on which to hypothesize that building social and emotional competencies could positively influence short and long term physical and behavioral health outcomes. The paper reviews a variety of types of evidence including longitudinal studies that connect childhood competencies and adult health and morbidity, concurrent correlations between social competencies and health in childhood, and short and longer-term outcomes of social and emotional intervention trials. The review concludes that there is a sufficient warrant for this idea, but that very few social and emotional intervention studies have examined health outcomes. The paper conclude withs with recommendations for how to grow the evidence base and its implication for research and policy.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773233925000324Social and emotional competenceSocial and emotional interventionsUniversal interventionsHealth outcomes in adolescence and adulthood
spellingShingle Mark T. Greenberg
Social and emotional learning and physical health outcomes across the lifespan: Little progress & big potential
Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy
Social and emotional competence
Social and emotional interventions
Universal interventions
Health outcomes in adolescence and adulthood
title Social and emotional learning and physical health outcomes across the lifespan: Little progress & big potential
title_full Social and emotional learning and physical health outcomes across the lifespan: Little progress & big potential
title_fullStr Social and emotional learning and physical health outcomes across the lifespan: Little progress & big potential
title_full_unstemmed Social and emotional learning and physical health outcomes across the lifespan: Little progress & big potential
title_short Social and emotional learning and physical health outcomes across the lifespan: Little progress & big potential
title_sort social and emotional learning and physical health outcomes across the lifespan little progress amp big potential
topic Social and emotional competence
Social and emotional interventions
Universal interventions
Health outcomes in adolescence and adulthood
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773233925000324
work_keys_str_mv AT marktgreenberg socialandemotionallearningandphysicalhealthoutcomesacrossthelifespanlittleprogressampbigpotential