Psychological Mechanisms of the Social-emotional Learning Influence on Academic Performance

Abstract

This study examines the psychological mechanisms through which social-emotional learning (SEL) influences academic performance, adopting a psychologico-pedagogical perspective that integrates constructivist and humanistic educational theories. Using an integrative review combined with grounded theory methodology, the research synthesizes empirical and theoretical literature across school and higher education contexts. The findings identify a multi-level system of mechanisms, including emotional regulation, motivational dynamics, self-related processes, social embeddedness, and meaning-making, which collectively shape learning outcomes. These mechanisms are organized around a central process of integrative self-regulation and operate across intrapersonal, interpersonal, and existential levels. The study also reveals a lack of continuity in SEL implementation between school and higher education, limiting its long-term effectiveness. Additionally, the analysis highlights the ambivalent impact of digital transformation and emphasizes the growing importance of aligning SEL with humanistic and sustainability-oriented educational paradigms. A conceptual model is proposed, illustrating how SEL influences academic performance as a systemic and context-dependent outcome. The study contributes to the literature by providing a theoretically grounded and integrative framework that extends beyond performance-oriented interpretations of SEL, positioning it as a key factor in both academic success and holistic human development.