Purpose and Rationale

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has gained significant global recognition as a vital framework for promoting students’ holistic development, encompassing emotional regulation, social competence, responsible decision-making, and academic achievement. Defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) through five core competencies– self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making– SEL has become an educational priority worldwide (CASEL, 2013). However, despite the exponential growth of SEL research over the past three decades, the field remains heavily dominated by U.S.-based scholarship, with limited systematic examination of its global development and knowledge structures.

To address this gap, the present study conducts a large-scale, data-driven bibliometric analysis of SEL research published between 1997 and 2024 in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) of the Web of Science Core Collection. Unlike narrative or meta-analytic reviews that focus on selective themes or program evaluations, bibliometric methods offer a systematic, quantitative, and visual mapping of the entire research landscape. This approach allows for the identification of leading authors, institutions, journals, collaboration networks, and thematic evolutions. Specifically, this study aims to:

1. Map the global performance and collaboration landscape of SEL research, and

2. Identify major research trends, thematic structures, and emerging directions to inform future scholarly and policy developments.

Literature Background

Since its conceptualization by CASEL in the 1990s, SEL has evolved from behavioral management interventions to comprehensive, multi-level educational strategies. Landmark programs such as Second Step target early childhood and elementary education through structured social-emotional curricula aimed at reducing aggression and enhancing prosocial behavior (Committee for Children, 1997). PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) emphasizes emotional regulation and problem-solving skills, particularly for young children in classroom settings (Kusche & Greenberg, 1994).

RULER, developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, focuses on improving school climate by enhancing emotional literacy through teacher training and curriculum integration (Brackett et al., 2011). MindUP combines mindfulness practices with SEL to strengthen students’ attention, emotional regulation, and resilience (Schonert-Reichl & Lawlor, 2010). Additionally, standardized assessment tools such as SSIS SEL CIP and SSIS SELb provide educators with evidence-based frameworks to monitor and improve SEL competencies across diverse student populations (Elliott & Gresham, 2017).

While these programs have demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing student well-being and academic outcomes, they have primarily been developed and validated within Western, particularly U.S.-based, educational systems. This raises critical questions about their cultural transferability, contextual adaptability, and global applicability challenges that remain underexplored in the existing literature.

Research Methods

This study employed a mixed-method bibliometric approach, integrating performance analysis and science mapping to systematically analyze the development of SEL research over nearly three decades. A total of 733 SSCI-indexed articles containing the keyword “social emotional learning” in their titles, abstracts, or author keywords were identified and analyzed. Data extraction and analysis were performed using Bibliometrix (R package) and CiteSpace (Java-based software).

1. Performance Analysis involved the evaluation of publication trends, citation counts, leading authors, institutions, journals, and countries.

2. Science Mapping applied co-word analysis, thematic mapping, and co-citation network analysis. Thematic mapping followed the model proposed by Callon et al. (1991), classifying themes into motor (high centrality, high density), basic (high centrality, low density), niche (low centrality, high density), and emerging/declining (low centrality, low density) categories.

3. Co-citation network analysis used the g-index (k = 100) to identify intellectual clusters that shape the knowledge base of SEL research.

Key Findings

1. Publication Trends and Leading Contributors

(1) SEL research exhibited a steady annual growth rate of 18.18%, with a notable surge after 2010.

(2) The United States contributed 72.85% of the total publications, reinforcing its leadership in shaping the field.

(3) Top institutions included Pennsylvania State University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of Virginia, all of which played central roles in author and institutional collaboration networks.

(4) Leading journals included Frontiers in Psychology, Journal of School Psychology, and Psychology in the Schools, indicating that SEL research is primarily concentrated in psychology and education-focused outlets.

(5) Highly cited publications such as Durlak et al. (2011), Jennings and Greenberg (2009), and Taylor et al. (2017) collectively established the empirical legitimacy of SEL’s impact on academic achievement, social behavior, and emotional well-being.

2. Thematic Evolution and Knowledge Structure

Thematic mapping revealed three major clusters:

(1) Motor Themes: International comparative studies and the integration of SEL within developmental science frameworks.

(2) Basic Themes: Topics related to mental health, equity, early childhood education, and program feasibility.

(3) Emerging Themes: Teacher emotional labor, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies in SEL, and adaptations for special education contexts.

3. Collaboration Networks

(1) Collaboration network analysis revealed a highly U.S.-centric structure, with limited international engagement.

(2) Major institutional clusters were dominated by U.S. universities, particularly the University of California System, Ohio State University System, and Illinois University System.

(3) National-level analysis indicated minimal contributions from non-English-speaking countries, highlighting a pronounced knowledge asymmetry that marginalizes perspectives from the Global South and non-Western contexts.

4. Limitations and Methodological Reflections

(1) The search strategy was limited to the exact phrase “social emotional learning”, excluding common variants such as “social-emotional learning” or “social and emotional learning,” which may have led to the omission of relevant studies.

(2) The reliance on SSCI-indexed, English-language journals further restricted the inclusion of region-specific or non-Western scholarship.

(3) Nevertheless, the combined use of performance metrics and science mapping provided a robust analytical foundation for capturing large-scale research trends and identifying underexplored gaps.

Discussion and Implications

Findings confirm that SEL research has achieved considerable academic recognition, yet it remains dominated by U.S.-based scholars and institutions. This concentration raises concerns about the cultural generalizability of existing SEL models and their limited adaptability to diverse educational contexts. Programs designed for individualistic, English-speaking populations may not align with the social norms, values, or policy environments of collectivist or non-Western societies.

Emerging topics such as AI-enhanced SEL interventions, teacher well-being, and inclusive practices for special education offer promising research directions. However, these areas require cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural collaboration to ensure their relevance and scalability across varied educational systems. Without such efforts, SEL risks becoming a culturally bounded framework that fails to address the diverse needs of learners worldwide.

Recommendations

Based on the findings, this study proposes the following research and policy recommendations:

1. Diversify Geographic Representation: Promote research in underrepresented regions through targeted international funding and collaborative initiatives.

2. Enhance Cultural Responsiveness: Develop and validate SEL frameworks that are culturally adaptive and contextually relevant to diverse educational systems.

3. Foster Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Leverage expertise from education, psychology, sociology, and technology to address complex SEL challenges.

4. Leverage Technological Innovations: Utilize AI, data analytics, and digital platforms to enhance SEL program delivery, monitoring, and personalization.

5. Strengthen Global Research Networks: Build international research partnerships to reduce knowledge asymmetries and promote globally inclusive SEL practices.

Conclusion

This bibliometric study provides a comprehensive overview of the SEL research landscape from 1997 to 2024. By identifying leading contributors, thematic developments, and collaboration patterns, it highlights both the strengths and limitations of the current academic discourse. Moving forward, greater emphasis on cultural diversity, technological innovation, and global collaboration is essential to ensure that SEL research and practice are inclusive, context-sensitive, and globally impactful.