Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Psychology (Ph.D.)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Mark Terjesen

Second Advisor

Dr. Lauren Moskowitz

Third Advisor

Dr. Imad Zaheer

Abstract

Social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculums help children learn and develop foundational skills related to self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making (CASEL, 2022). There are long-term positive outcomes of SEL in terms of academic achievement, motivation, mental health, self-discipline, emotion regulation abilities, and communication skills (Jones et al., 2015; Steed et al., 2022). Unfortunately, most SEL programs are designed with the neurotypical child in mind (New York State Department of Education, 2022). Students with neurological differences such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have inherent deficits in various social and emotional skill areas, including difficulty with emotion recognition and expression, maintenance of social skills needed for reciprocal friendships, pragmatic language, executive functions, and empathy, all of which contribute to social and emotional well-being (Arnaud, 2020; Braaten et al., 2000; Mendelson et al., 2016; Staikova et al., 2013; Waddington et al., 2018). Therefore, these children require deliberate effort to understand what others are feeling, and therefore more practice with these skills (Löytömäki et al., 2020). This study examined 147 school-based professionals’ perceptions of SEL programming in their school, specifically for students with ADHD or ASD. Exploratory analyses demonstrate that school-based professionals perceive SEL as valuable and effective for all students. They believe that modifications to SEL for ADHD and ASD students are needed and they encounter significant barriers to implementing high-quality SEL in their schools. Limitations of the research are discussed and clinical implications for school psychologists, graduate and SEL training programs, and schools are presented.

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