Can social-emotional learning programs be adapted to schools in Pakistan? A literature review

ABSTRACT

Growing research suggests that a social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum in school has a positive impact on students’ emotional and academic learning. However, schools in Pakistan face multiple challenges for fostering social-emotional skills due to lack of awareness of the existence and benefits of SEL programs, inadequate funding in public schools, absence of motivation in private schools, and lack of teacher training. Several SEL programs have been adapted to different countries and diverse populations worldwide with promising results. But there is limited research on the applicability of these programs in Pakistani schools and in countries with similar cultural and educational context. We conducted a literature review on studies published between 2000 and 2019 to search for SEL programs applicable to schools in Pakistan. Nineteen studies were identified with SEL programs including PATHS, Second Step, Strong Kids, and Lions Quest. These programs were then evaluated based on their ease of adaptation and implementation and cost effectiveness to elementary schools in Pakistan. Results support the applicability of PATHS based on all the evaluation criteria. Implications and considerations for the adaptation of PATHS in elementary schools in Pakistan are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Pakistan
• social emotional
• mental health
• school
• psychology
• education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Natasha Sohail Barlas

Natasha Sohail Barlas, NCSP, is a Deputy Manager of Student Success Lahore University of Management Sciences, in Lahore, Pakistan. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Accounting and Finance from Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan, and an M.S. in Applied Educational Psychology and CAGS in School Psychology from Northeastern University, Boston, USA. Email address: [email protected]

Jeevita Sidhu

Jeevita Sidhu, NCSP, is an experienced School Psychologist and currently a Psychometrist at a psychology clinic in Toronto, Canada. She holds a BA in Psychology from University of Singapore, Singapore, and an M.S. in Applied Educational Psychology and CAGS in School Psychology from Northeastern University, Boston, USA. Email address: [email protected]

Chieh Li

Chieh Li, EdD, NCSP, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at Northeastern University, USA. She studies bilingual and multicultural issues in school psychology. Email address: [email protected]