This study aims to explore children’s perspectives on conflict resolution within their peer groups. Children’s peer groups and cultures are a crucial setting for social and emotional development and can be reflective of broader peer cultures. This is an area of great importance within child studies and has been influenced by Corsaro’s ideas around children’s social worlds (Corsaro, 2009:321). More specifically, this study is built around the following research questions: 1) What do children perceive as positive ways to solve a conflict? 2) What do children perceive as negative ways to solve a conflict? 3) How do children perceive the role of adults in conflict resolution? Previous literature provides an insight into this topic that comes often through the adult lens (Jones, 2020: 479). This study aimed to include direct child participation in research, allowing agency and voice in the research made about them (Corsaro, 2009:321). To address the research questions, a qualitative study with twelve children in their second year of school, around the ages of seven and eight, was conducted. The children were given an opportunity to talk about their perspectives and viewpoints by engaging in discussions, by using arts-based methods and creating visual materials in the forms of mind-maps and lists as are common within Participation Visual Methods (PVM) research.The written data that was derived from the creative methods was analysed using thematic analysis, with the direct observations and visual drawings used to support our interpretations. The main themes that arose from this study can be explained using verbal, non-verbal and ambiguous strategies for resolving conflicts. Further subthemes such as displaying pro-social behaviours, apologising, compromising, and hostile expressions were identified through our data analysis. This study contributes to sociocultural research in child studies. This study grants insight into child-centred research about navigating conflicts as fundamental components of human relations.

This study examined the relationships between a social-emotional learning program and the 5 dimensions of emotional intelligence and whether the relationships were moderated by gender. The problem addressed in the study was the lack of research focused on the development of emotional intelligence at the middle school level. The participants included 28 middle school students from a southeastern state who engaged in a 36 hour social-emotional learning program facilitated by a public university. The BarOn EQ-i:YV was administered pre and post. Demographic data including age, gender, race, and school type were also gathered. Data were analyzed using a one-way repeated measure MANOVA in which gender served as an attribute variable. The independent variables for this study included the attribute variable of gender and the treatment variable (IMPACT program). The dependent variables were the 5 dimensions of the EQ-i:YV (intrapersonal, interpersonal, stress management, adaptability, and general mood). The MANOVA found no interaction between the treatment and gender, but it did show a significant main effect for the treatment. Separate univariate tests showed significant relationships between the treatment and four of the five dimensions of emotional intelligence: interpersonal, stress management, adaptability, and general mood. Specifically, the findings revealed that the IMPACT program significantly increased participants’ emotional intelligence in these four areas. The MANOVA also showed a significant effect for gender. The univariate tests showed one significant gender difference relating to the interpersonal dimension; females scored significantly higher than did males on both the pre- and post-tests with a moderate effect size. While not significantly different, females also scored higher than did males in three other dimensions (intrapersonal, stress management, and general mood) on both the pre- and post-tests. As there is hardly any research that focuses on both the effectiveness of social-emotional learning programs with middle school students and the role of gender, further related research is recommended. Additionally, further research should examine the effectiveness of condensed versus traditional one year delivery models for social-emotional learning programs.

In general education classrooms across the United States, students with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) learn how to write and cultivate their writing skills. Teachers of students with ASD have the unique responsibility of carrying out effective instruction to all students. However, the growing body of research around evidence-based practices and approaches for students with ASD is limited. Two effective practices that have shown positive statistical significance for students with ASD are the self-regulated strategy development model (SRSD) and the social-emotional learning (SEL) framework. General education instruction faces a research-practice gap because of the widespread lack of strategy instruction and lack of evidence-based practices implemented in the classroom. The purpose was to design an integrated strategy instruction tool with an SEL framework, to provide potentially more feasible and equitable writing instruction for elementary students with ASD in general education classrooms. Therefore, a relationship skills themed expressive writing unit aligned with fifth grade language arts Florida State Standards was developed. Specifically, the researcher integrated the SRSD model into a five-day themed writing unit that teaches mnemonic writing strategies. The writing unit utilizes high-quality, SEL themed children's literature, cooperative learning practices, writing stations, and many formative assessment opportunities. In the future, the researcher's next step is to implement the writing unit in a general education classroom with a substantial ASD population to examine its efficacy and effectiveness. Hopefully, the feasibility of this innovative writing unit will decrease the research-practice gap that general education teachers face.

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For those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), social interactions involving high levels of face-to-face interaction can raise stress levels and emotional dysregulation. Using animated avatar video models may mitigate potential emotional dysregulation while learning social skills in these populations. This study examined autonomic data of adolescents aged 7-13 diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), n=5 during avatar animated video modeling (AAVM) of social and emotional skills. This was a replication study with the addition of biofeedback data collection and a change of population. Participants were given three Nearpod training modules with AAVM and multiple-choice quizzes on self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship skills. Using a multiple baseline design, we collected Social Emotional Learning (SEL) scores at baseline, and during each phase of intervention. During all phases, we collected heart rate and analyzed heart rate variability (HRV) metrics: standard deviation of N-N intervals (SDNN), high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF), and HF/LF ratio). We also collected real-time somatic data: muscle tension (EMG), skin conductance (SC), and skin temperature (temp). The somatic autonomic data were not analyzed as part of this thesis. Results suggest that persons with ADHD may benefit from avatar animated video modeling delivered instruction based on patterns in autonomic data, increases in scores on the targeted skills taught during instruction, and participant's expressions about this method of learning. In future research and practice the population for this content could be narrowed to age 8-12. Reliable but smaller and less obtrusive biofeedback devices are currently available, and having several accessible options is recommended.

At the Northwest Regional Learning Center (NRLC), an alternative high school in Arlington, Washington serving only at-risk youth, a new ethics course was conducted to assist students with their social-emotional learning development (SEL) and provide NRLC staff with greater insight into the lived experiences of students. Through semi-structured interviews, longitudinal ethical position surveys, and in-class observational ethnographic notes, this study presents shifts in student ethical positions over time as students engaged in this new course. By drawing from the knowledge at-risk students bring to school and focusing on behaviorism, progressive teaching theory, and constructivism, this course promoted open, student-led discussion that helped establish and build critical thinking skills, learn about perspectives in relation to others, and analyze various ethical positions. Through learning more about the lived experiences of their students, teachers at NRLC were able to contextualize and accommodate individual student behaviors, needs, and beliefs over their high-school experience. Drawing from student beliefs and experiences, the new course content was largely created by the students, providing at-risk youth an environment to openly share their beliefs while directly relating course content to their lives outside of school. As a representation of the power that social connection, redistribution of power dynamics in the classroom, and the wealth of knowledge students bring to school with them every day has, this study promotes the use of an ethics course in both general and alternative high schools as a more formalized and effective approach to teaching SEL.

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics suggest that as academic standards continue to rise, students' mental health continues to decline (Carr, 2022). Public schools today have a unique opportunity to support the ongoing learning of students, while also encouraging the development of social and emotional skills that will benefit students’ academic performance, as well as their general wellbeing. While schools today follow rigorous state standards and support academic learning, many students attending rural high schools are graduating without the skills necessary to be successful in college or career (Farrington et al., 2012). This mixed-methods case study examines the social emotional skills necessary to promote college and career readiness for a rural California high school. Two research questions frame the study. First, what skills do rural educators, students, families, and community members believe are necessary for students to be successful in college or career? Secondly, in what ways do participants believe rural educators can help in the development of the skills identified in Research Question 1? Qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with school staff, parents, students, and community members to support both research questions. Quantitative data was later obtained through a follow-up survey with school staff, to identify five key, social emotional competences that school staff believe the be most critical for rural students to learn. It was determined that responsibility, work ethic, social skills, communication, and critical thinking skills are believed to be the most important social emotional skills to learn, for students attending high school within a rural community. Findings from this study contribute to current research as well as provide the district this set of core competencies to assist educators in developing school-wide practices and procedures that promote the development of the whole child.

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