The Effects of a Dutch School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Programme (SEL) on Suicidality in Adolescents

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a Dutch social and emotional learning (SEL) programme for adolescents had a positive influence on suicidality and on hypothesised protective factors. The hypothesised protective factors included self-esteem, general belief in self-efficacy, expressing negative emotions, and attitudes to using social and emotional skills for suicidality. The study also explored a mediation model where the effects of the programme on suicidality were mediated by positive effects of the hypothesised protective factors. A quasi-experimental comparison group pre-test/post-test control design was used. An ordinary least squares multiple regression analysis (OLS) was used to test the mediation model. The results of this study show that the programme had a significant short-term effect on suicidality and all the hypothesised protective factors. The programme had no long-term effect on suicidality. The results partly support the mediation model, in that the effects of the programme on suicidality were significant only when mediated by self-esteem.