ORCID Identifier(s)

0009-0007-0069-9842

Graduation Semester and Year

Fall 2024

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Department

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

First Advisor

Yi Zhang

Second Advisor

Elsa Camargo

Third Advisor

Maria Trache

Abstract

In recent decades, the mental health needs of youth have increased, as has interest in social-emotional learning (SEL) in K-12 schools. SEL instruction has been proposed as a way to meet these growing needs while schools struggle with shortages of school-based mental health professionals. While extensive research has been conducted regarding SEL, the majority of these studies have focused on structured programs in preschool and elementary-level populations. As a result, students at the secondary level, particularly those in high school, have received limited attention. In this dissertation, I present my research that explores SEL at the high school level.

This article-based dissertation consists of three studies that addressed SEL in high school, including factors within and around students that may influence skill development at this age level. While all three studies are guided and informed by the Big Five Factor Model of Social-Emotional Skills, each addresses the topic from a different lens. In the first article, I analyzed nationally representative survey data to examine the relationships between ninth-grade students’ sociodemographic characteristics, socialization behaviors, academic achievement, and their SEL relationship skills. These factors were also compared between public and private schools. In the second article, I conducted eight in-depth interviews with high school counselors in Texas to explore their experiences delivering SEL intervention. In the third article, I analyzed a sample from another large-scale survey dataset to examine the relationship between student characteristics, perceptions of the school environment, interpersonal relationships, and their SEL skills.

The overarching findings of these three studies reveal the significance of student characteristics, school climate, and interpersonal relationships on high school students’ development of SEL skills. Some factors, like socioeconomic status, influenced skills across all or most domains, while others, including interpersonal relationships, had varying influences between domains. Taken together, the findings of all three studies reflect important implications and considerations for high schools as they promote SEL skills in their students and prepare them for long-term success.

Keywords

Social-Emotional Learning, SEL, High school, Mental health, Social skills

Disciplines

Educational Leadership | Educational Psychology | Secondary Education

Comments

Supervising Committee:

Dr. Yi Leaf Zhang, Ph.D. (Chair)

Dr. Elsa Camargo, Ph.D.

Dr. Maria Trache, Ph.D.

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Available for download on Monday, December 15, 2025

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