Investigation of the Effect of Social Emotional Learning on Peer Relationships of Adolescents

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical period in which significant developments occur in social-emotional learning skills and peer relationships. Therefore, it will be important to know which variables are effective in social-emotional learning skills and peer relationships and to determine whether there is a relationship between these two skills. This study is a cross-sectional field study based on the model of the quantitative descriptive survey. The research group of the research consists of 364 students between the ages of 14 and 18, those who are located in the Provincial Center, those who are associated with Bilecik Provincial Directorate of National Education in Turkey within the 2019-2020 Academic Year and those who continue their high school education. For the research data, Social-Emotional Learning Scale developed by Totan (2018) and Peer Relationships Scale developed by Kaner (2000) and personal information form about students were used. As a result of the findings, it was found that adolescents had the highest score in the sub-dimensions of responsible decision-making and commitment and the lowest in self-disclosure and loyalty. Self-awareness and relationship skills, which are the sub-dimensions of social-emotional learning, affect the peer relationship. Besides peer relationship was found to be positively associated with social-emotional learning.