The Effect of a Social-Emotional Learning-Based Intervention Program on the Social-Emotional Skills of Gifted Elementary School Students

Abstract

Introduction: In recent years, social-emotional learning has emerged as a key educational approach that supports students’ emotional, social, and behavioral competencies in addition to their academic development. In particular, systematically addressing the social-emotional needs of gifted students alongside their cognitive development is of critical importance for their holistic development. Despite their high cognitive potential, gifted elementary school students may require systematic support in areas such as self-regulation, social relationships, self-confidence, and impulse control. In this context, it is important to experimentally examine the effectiveness of structured intervention programs based on social-emotional learning.Method: This study examined the effectiveness of a social-emotional learning-based intervention program for gifted elementary school students. The research was conducted using an experimental design with an experimental and control group, including pretest, posttest, and follow-up measurements. A total of 40 students participated in the experimental and control groups, which were formed using a random assignment method. While students in the experimental group received a structured intervention program based on social-emotional learning, the control group continued with the existing educational process without any intervention.Findings: The findings revealed that students in the experimental group showed positive development in their total social-emotional learning scores as well as in the subdimensions of self-management, self-confidence, peer relationships, perception of friendship, persistence, and impulse control. In contrast, it was determined that the time-dependent change in the perception of achievement subdimension remained at a more limited level.Discussion: The research results indicate that a social-emotional learning-based intervention program is effective and sustainable in developing the social-emotional learning skills of gifted elementary school students. The findings emphasize the importance of addressing social-emotional learning in a systematic and holistic manner in the education of gifted students.