High School Students’ Social Emotional Learning Skills And Social Media Use

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills vital for school, work, and life success.

In education, SEL helps students manage emotions, set goals, empathize with others, and make responsible decisions.

Social media, as a primary platform for youth interaction, can significantly impact SEL development.

It offers opportunities for social connection and self-expression, but may also challenge emotional regulation and interpersonal skills, making it a crucial factor in modern SEL research and education.

Şahin, H., Eraslan, M., & Özkan, M. A. (2025). Investigation of high school students’ social emotional learning skills and social media use. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1425497. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1425497

Key Points

• The study examined the relationship between high school students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) skills and their social media use.
• A weak negative correlation was found between SEL skills and social media use, suggesting that as students’ SEL skills improve, their social media usage decreases slightly.
• High school students demonstrated moderate levels of both SEL skills and social media use.
• No significant differences were found in SEL skills or social media use based on gender, except for higher self-awareness in female students.
• Grade level did not significantly affect social media use or most SEL skills, with only relationship-building skills showing differences favoring 11th graders.
• The research highlights the importance of developing SEL programs for high school students, especially given the prevalence of social media use among adolescents.
• Limitations include the study’s focus on a specific region and reliance on self-reported data.
• This research contributes to understanding the interplay between adolescents’ social-emotional development and their engagement with social media in today’s digital age.

Rationale

The study aims to investigate the relationship between high school students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) skills and their social media use, addressing a gap in the existing literature.

While previous research has explored SEL skills and social media addiction separately, few studies have examined their direct correlation, especially in the context of general social media use rather than addiction (Atın, 2022; Tutgun Ünal, 2015).

The rationale for this study is rooted in the increasing importance of SEL skills in education and the growing prevalence of social media use among adolescents.

As schools aim to develop well-rounded individuals, understanding how SEL skills interact with social media usage becomes crucial (Greenberg et al., 2003; Zins & Elias, 2006).

This research seeks to provide insights that could inform educational strategies and interventions, particularly in the rapidly evolving digital landscape that shapes adolescents’ social interactions and emotional development.

Furthermore, the study addresses the need for comprehensive research on SEL skills and social media use across different variables such as gender and grade level, which have shown inconsistent results in previous studies (Aksoy, 2020; Kuyulu, 2015; Güney & Taştepe, 2020).

By examining these factors, the research aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of adolescent development in the digital age.

Method

The study employed a descriptive survey model, utilizing both relational and comparative survey designs.

This approach allowed for the examination of correlations between variables and comparisons across groups without manipulating circumstances or participants.

Procedure

Participants completed two scales: the Social Emotional Learning Scale and the Social Media Use Scale.

The study design involved collecting data from students across different grade levels and analyzing the relationships between their SEL skills, social media use, and demographic variables.

Sample

The study included 352 high school students from a public high school in Muş Province, Turkey.

Participants were selected using convenience sampling and comprised 164 females and 188 males across grades 9-12.

Measures

• Social Emotional Learning Scale: A 23-item scale with five sub-dimensions (self-awareness, social awareness, self-regulation, relationship building, and responsible decision-making).
• Social Media Use Scale: An 8-item scale with two sub-dimensions (continuity and competence).

Statistical measures

The study utilized various statistical analyses including:

• Confirmatory Factor Analysis for scale validation
• Cronbach’s Alpha for reliability assessment
• Independent samples t-tests for gender comparisons
• ANOVA for grade-level comparisons
• Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient for examining relationships between variables

Results

H1: There is a relationship between high school students’ SEL skills and social media use.

Result: A weak negative correlation (r = -0.165, p < 0.01) was found, supporting the hypothesis.

H2: High school students’ SEL skills differ based on gender.

Result: Partially supported. Only self-awareness showed a significant difference favoring female students.

H3: High school students’ social media use differs based on gender.

Result: Not supported. No significant gender differences were found in social media use.

H4: High school students’ SEL skills differ based on grade level.

Result: Partially supported. Only relationship-building skills showed significant differences, favoring 11th-grade students.

H5: High school students’ social media use differs based on grade level.

Result: Not supported. No significant differences were found across grade levels.

Insight

The study reveals a complex relationship between social-emotional learning skills and social media use among high school students.

The weak negative correlation suggests that as students develop stronger SEL skills, they may slightly reduce their social media usage. This finding highlights the potential role of SEL in moderating digital behaviors.

The research extends previous studies by focusing on general social media use rather than addiction, providing a more nuanced understanding of adolescents’ everyday digital engagement.

The moderate levels of both SEL skills and social media use indicate a balanced approach among the studied population, challenging assumptions about excessive social media use among teenagers.

The lack of significant gender differences in most aspects of SEL skills and social media use suggests that these factors may be more influenced by individual characteristics or environmental factors than gender.

This insight calls for personalized approaches in educational interventions rather than gender-specific strategies.

The study’s findings on grade-level differences, particularly in relationship-building skills, point to the dynamic nature of social-emotional development during high school years.

This suggests that SEL programs should be tailored to specific developmental stages within the high school period.

Future research could explore the causal relationships between SEL skills and social media use, perhaps through longitudinal studies.

Additionally, investigating the role of specific SEL interventions in shaping social media behaviors could provide valuable insights for educators and policymakers.

Implications

The findings have significant implications for educational practice and policy.

Educators and school administrators should consider integrating SEL programs that address the challenges and opportunities presented by social media use.

These programs could focus on enhancing self-awareness, relationship-building skills, and responsible decision-making in digital contexts.

The study suggests that promoting SEL skills might indirectly influence healthier social media habits among adolescents.

This insight could inform the development of comprehensive digital citizenship curricula that incorporate SEL principles.

For clinical practice, the results highlight the importance of considering social media use when assessing and supporting adolescents’ social-emotional well-being.

Mental health professionals working with teenagers might benefit from exploring the interplay between their clients’ SEL skills and digital behaviors.

Future research should explore the potential protective role of SEL skills against negative impacts of social media use, such as cyberbullying or online addiction.

Longitudinal studies could provide more definitive insights into how SEL skills and social media use evolve throughout adolescence and into early adulthood.

Strengths

The study had several methodological strengths, including:

• Use of validated scales for measuring both SEL skills and social media use
• A relatively large sample size (352 participants)
• Inclusion of participants across all high school grade levels
• Comprehensive statistical analysis, including factor analysis for scale validation
• Examination of multiple variables (gender, grade level) to provide a nuanced understanding
• Focus on general social media use rather than addiction, offering insights into everyday digital behaviors

Limitations

The study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results:

• Geographical limitation: The study was conducted in a single province in Turkey, potentially limiting its generalizability to other regions or cultures.
• Self-reported data: Reliance on self-reported measures may introduce bias, as participants might not accurately report their behaviors or skills.
• Cross-sectional design: The study provides a snapshot of the relationship between SEL skills and social media use but cannot establish causality or track changes over time.
• Limited control of variables: Factors such as socioeconomic status, family dynamics, or access to technology were not controlled for, which could influence the observed relationships.
• Moderate effect sizes: The correlations found were relatively weak, suggesting that other factors not examined in this study might play significant roles in the relationship between SEL skills and social media use.

These limitations suggest that while the study provides valuable insights, further research with more diverse samples, longitudinal designs, and additional variables is needed to fully understand the complex relationship between SEL skills and social media use among adolescents.

References

Aksoy, Ö. N. (2020). Examining the social emotional learning levels of adolescents. Journal of Human and Social Sciences, 3(1), 576-590.

Atın, A. (2022). Social media addiction and friend attachment and social and emotional learning skills investigation: A study on adolescents, Master thesis. İstanbul: Fatih Sultan Mehmet Foundation University Graduate Education Institute.

Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’Brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. (2003). Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. American Psychologist, 58(6-7), 466–474. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.58.6-7.466

Güney, M., & Taştepe, T. (2020). Social media usage and social media addiction in adolescents. Journal of Ankara Health Sciences (JAHS), 9(2), 183-190.

Kuyulu, İ. (2015). Investigation of social emotional learning levels of secondary school students studying in sports high schools and Anatolian high schools according to various variables. Master Thesis. Kahramanmaraş: Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University Health Sciences Institute.

Tutgun-Ünal, A. (2015). Social media addiction: A research on university students. Unpublished doctoral’s dissertation, Marmara University.

Zins, J. E., and Elias, M. J. (2006). “Social and emotional learning” in Children’s needs III: Development, prevention, and intervention. eds. G. G. Bear and K. M. Minke (Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists), 1–13.

Keep Learning

• How might the relationship between SEL skills and social media use differ in cultures with varying levels of technology adoption?
• What specific aspects of SEL skills might be most influential in shaping healthy social media habits among adolescents?
• How could schools effectively integrate SEL programs that address both face-to-face and digital social interactions?
• In what ways might the development of SEL skills through social media use differ from their development through traditional face-to-face interactions?
• How might the findings of this study inform policies on digital citizenship education in schools?
• What ethical considerations should be taken into account when designing interventions that aim to influence adolescents’ social media use through SEL programs?