Implementation and practice matter: Examining a culturally sensitive SEL program in rural China

Rural Chinese children face significant challenges in mental health and educational outcomes due to urban–rural disparities in resources and services, creating an urgent need for innovative and effective interventions. School-based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs offer a promising solution. Rejecting a one-size-fits-all approach, this study examines both the implementation and effectiveness of an 18-session, culturally sensitive SEL program developed collaboratively by local experts and schoolteachers. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study included 1059 fifth-grade students ( M age = 11.14 years) nested within 22 classrooms, with 528 students from 10 classrooms assigned to the intervention group and 531 students from 12 classrooms assigned to the comparison group. Multilevel models revealed small but significant treatment effects on overall social-emotional competencies ( d = 0.26), self-awareness ( d = 0.25), social awareness ( d = 0.29), relationship skills ( d = 0.17), responsible decision-making ( d = 0.19), loneliness ( d = −0.15), and school engagement ( d = 0.13). Dosage, student-evaluated implementation fidelity (including preparation, adherence, and quality of delivery), years of teaching experience, and student-level after-class practice moderated changes over time in self-management, depression, stress, and aggressive behaviors. Subgroup analysis further demonstrated that boys benefited more from the program, as did children from whose parents were not working away or were not divorced. Overall, these findings shed light on research, practical, and policy implications for better implementing culturally tailored SEL programs to meet the needs of students in rural Chinese schools.