Language teaching research for promoting international students' mental health within the social–emotional learning framework

Abstract Background As higher education continues to deepen its internationalization, international students commonly face psychological pressures and social challenges during cross-cultural adaptation, drawing increasing attention to their mental health issues. Social–emotional learning (SEL), an educational framework designed to cultivate core competencies such as self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills, offers an effective pathway for systematically supporting mental health. Language instruction, serving as the primary domain for both academic and social engagement among international students, presents an opportunity to integrate social–emotional learning. However, existing research has largely neglected how to systematically incorporate the social–emotional learning framework into language teaching. Therefore, a language teaching model based on the social–emotional learning framework has been developed. This research aims to investigate the comprehensive effectiveness of the social–emotional learning framework in enhancing international students' language proficiency while simultaneously promoting their mental well-being. Methods The study first designed and developed a 16-hour language teaching module integrating thematic discussions, role-playing, collaborative projects, and reflective journals based on core social–emotional learning competencies. Eighty international students with intermediate Chinese proficiency from a university were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 40) and a control group (n = 40). The experimental group received a semester-long integrated social–emotional learning and language course, while the control group received a conventional language communication course of equivalent duration. Before and after the course, language proficiency was assessed using the HSK Speaking Test (HSKK), and mental health was evaluated using the Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychological Well-Being Scale (CCAPWS). Results Following the instructional intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significant advantages across multiple indicators of language proficiency and mental health. Regarding language ability, the experimental group's HSKK speaking scores (25.3 ± 4.1) were significantly higher than those of the control group (18.7 ± 5.2) (p.01). Regarding mental health, the experimental group's perceived stress scores (15.2 ± 3.8) were significantly lower than those of the control group (21.5 ± 4.6) (p.01). In self-assessments of social–emotional skills, the experimental group's satisfaction scores (28.4 ± 3.1) were significantly higher than those of the control group (23.1 ± 4.0) (p.01). Discussion The results indicate that language instruction designed within the framework of social–emotional learning effectively promotes the mental health of international students. This model not only significantly enhances students' target language speaking proficiency but also effectively reduces psychological stress, increases life satisfaction, and improves cross-cultural adaptation abilities. It provides language educators with an actionable practice paradigm for organically embedding mental health support into academic curricula. Future research should further explore the applicability and long-term effects of this model across international student groups with varying language proficiency levels, cultural backgrounds, and stages of study abroad. Longitudinal tracking designs should be employed to assess the sustainability of its effects. Concurrently, efforts should focus on deconstructing specific teaching strategies within the social–emotional learning framework—such as role-playing, collaborative tasks, and reflective writing—to clarify their independent and interactive mechanisms on language acquisition and psychological adaptation through process-oriented research. This will provide empirical evidence for refining instructional design and implementing personalized teaching practices.