| Study |
Program’s objectives |
Participants/location |
Program content |
Theoretical framework |
Program Length |
Delivering members |
Implementation effects |
| Brackett, Rivers, Reyes & Salovey (2012) |
Develop the socio-emotional skillsImprove students’ school performance |
General school populationPublic school5th-6th gradeU.S.A |
Examples of activities:- emotional vocabulary (i.e. introducing words designating emotional states)- generating links between the new emotional word and ongoing events from the real life- extending learning at home by discussing the new emotional words- emotional regulation techniques |
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (2005) |
One school year |
Teachers |
Increased school performance Enhanced social and emotional skills Increased adaptability Increased quality of relationships Decreased attention or learning issues |
| Coelho, Marchante & Sousa (2015) |
Develop students’ socio-emotional skills and students’ self-esteem |
General school populationPublic school 7th-9th gradePortugal |
Activities targeting self-awareness, social consciousness, emotional management, interpersonal skills, etc. |
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (2005) |
Three school yearsTwelve weeks per yearOne hour weekly sessions |
Psychologists |
Increased levels of social consciousnessLower levels of isolationLower levels of social anxiety |
| Castillo, Salguero, Fernández-Berrocal & Balluerka (2013) |
Develop EI abilitiesPromote intellectual growth |
General school populationPublic school7th-9th gradeSpain |
Group activities, such as:- games- role playing - projects- media content-based learning activities |
The four branches model of EI (Mayer & Salovey, 1997) |
Two school yearsTwelve sessions each year One hour sessions |
TeachersPsychologists |
Lower frequency of aggressive behavioursHigher levels of empathy in males Lower levels of personal distress in males |
| Castillo-Gualda, Cabello,Herrero, Rodríguez-Carvajal & Fernández-Berrocal (2018) |
Develop EI abilities (perceiving/ using/understanding/ managing emotions) |
General school populationPublic and private schools 11 to15 years old studentsSpain |
The content of the intervention is not detailed in this study(for details see Castillo, Salguero, Fernández-Berrocal & Balluerka, 2013) |
The four branches model of EI (Mayer & Salovey, 1997) |
Three school yearsTwelve annual sessionsOne hour sessions |
Psychologists |
Decreased negative affect and aggressive behaviours |
| Dougherty & Sharkey (2017) |
Decrease the negative effects of risk factors Prevent school drop out |
Students at risk for school abandonmentPublic school 12 to 17 years old studentsUSA |
Two types of activities:- daily classes activities - community-based activities: excursions, school clubs, drug abuse prevention activities |
Learning and control theories (see Eggert, Thompson, Herting & Randall, 2001) |
One semesterDaily 50 minutes sessions |
Teachers Psychologists |
Increased school performance |
| Di Fabio & Kenny (2011) |
Develop the EI abilities |
General school populationSenior high school studentsItaly |
The individual sessions addressed one of the four branches of EI, as described by Mayer & Salovey (1997): perceiving emotions, facilitating thought, understanding emotions and managing emotions. |
The four branches model of EI (Mayer & Salovey, 1997) |
Four sessions Two and a half hours weekly sessions |
N/A |
Increased levels of EI Decreased perceived indecision Decreased decision-making difficulties related to career choice |
| Garaigordobil & Peña-Sarrionandia (2015) |
Develop EI |
General school populationPublic and private schools13 to 16 years old studentsSpain |
The activities were grouped into five different modules , such as (Garaigordobil & Peña-Sarrionandia, 2015, p.5): “Emotion regulation”, “ General status”, “Empathy”, etc. |
The four branches model of EI (Mayer & Salovey, 1997) |
One school yearTwenty sessionsOne hour sessions |
Researcher in the field of psychology |
Increased EIDeveloped conflict resolution strategies |
| Cramer & Castro-Olivo (2016) |
Develop socio-emotional skills Improve students’ resilienceDecrease internalization symptoms |
Culturally and linguistically diverse studentsPublic school9th-10th grade USA |
A socio-emotional learning curriculum, comprising activities targeting understanding emotions, positive thinking, anger management, etc. |
Socio-emotional learning (see Zins, Weissberg, Wang & Walberg, 2004) |
Six weeksTwelve sessionsMaximum 50 minutes per session |
Trained staff |
Higher levels of socio-emotional skills Increased student resilience |
| Merrell, Juskelis, Tran & Buchanan (2008) – 2nd study |
Prevent negative educational outcomes Promote positive developmentPrevent maladaptive behaviours |
General school populationPublic school7th-8th gradeUSA |
Curriculum-based programContent: initial testing, enhancing emotional vocabulary, anger management, modifying cognitive errors, stress reduction strategies, linking emotion and behaviour |
Socio-emotional learning (see Zins, Weissberg, Wang & Walberg, 2004) |
Three monthsFifty minutes weekly sessions |
Teachers |
Increased socio-emotional abilitiesDeveloped coping strategiesFewer negative social and emotional symptoms |
| Wigelsworth, Humphrey & Lendrum (2013) |
Promote overall students’ mental health Develop socio-emotional skills |
General school populationPublic schoolJunior high school studentsEngland |
The program comprised lessons on social and emotional abilities which promoted an overall positive learning environment |
EI theory (Goleman, 1996) |
Two school years |
Teachers |
No statistically significant effects of the intervention |
| Qualter, Whiteley,Hutchinson & Pope (2007) |
Develop EIEase students’ school transition |
General school populationPublic school11 to 12 years old studentsEngland |
Previously trained 10th grade students became mentors for their 7th grade colleaguesThe mentees received a book on socio-emotional skills and the mentors received a game called "cool cards" which implies discussing different emotion-infused situations |
Mixed model of EI(Bar-On & Parker, 2000) |
One school year |
TrainersLocal authoritiesStudents (10th and 7th graders) |
Increased EIEased school transition processIncreased school competence Higher levels of social skills |
| Ruiz-Aranda et al. (2012) |
Prevent aggressive behaviours Prevent negative psychosocial outcomesPromote students’ mental health |
General school populationPublic school 12 to 17 years old studentsSpain |
Examples of activities:- learning the physical cues of different emotions- enhancing students’ emotional vocabulary via games- discussing emotional management techniques |
The four branches model of EI (Mayer & Salovey, 1997) |
Two yearsSix months each yearTwenty four weekly sessions/ year |
Psychologists |
Positive effects on students’ mental healthLower levels of negative affectDecreased anxiety symptomsLower levels of social distressLower levels of depression |
| Ruiz-Aranda, Salguero, Cabello, Palomera, & Berrocal (2012) |
Develop students’ EI skillsPromote psychosocial adaptation |
General school populationPublic school 13 to 16 years old studentsSpain |
Details on the structure of the program are available in Ruiz-Aranda, Fernández-Berrocal, Cabello & Salguero (2008) |
The four branches model of EI (Mayer & Salovey, 1997) |
Ten weekly one hour sessions |
Trained personnel |
Lower anxiety levelsDecreased levels of social stressHigher levels of self-esteem |
