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Maurice Elias

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Psychology, Faculty Member

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Noel B. Salazar

KU Leuven

Nicola Jane Holt

University of the West of England

Webster University

George K. # Zarifis

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

University of Central Florida

Mohammed Farouk

Florida International University

Eric S . Kim (UBC)

University of British Columbia

Kansas State University

Raquel S L Guzzo

PUC-Campinas

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

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Papers by Maurice Elias

The educator's guide to emotional intelligence and academic achievement : social-emotional learning in the classroom

Corwin Press eBooks, 2006

To the many educators with whom we have collaborated, and those kindred spirits we have not met, ... more

Emotional Awareness: A Transdiagnostic Predictor of Depression and Anxiety for Children and Adolescents

Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Feb 6, 2015

The current study used longitudinal data to examine the role of emotional awareness as a transdia... more The current study used longitudinal data to examine the role of emotional awareness as a transdiagnostic risk factor for internalizing symptoms. Participants were 204 youth, ages 7 to 16, who completed assessments every three months for a year. Results from hierarchical mixed effects modeling indicated that low emotional awareness predicted both depressive and anxiety symptoms for up to one year follow-up. In addition, emotional awareness predicted which youth went on to experience subsequent increases in depressive and anxiety symptoms over the course of the year. Emotional awareness also mediated both the cross-sectional and the longitudinal associations between anxiety and depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that emotional awareness may constitute a transdiagnostic risk factor for the development and/or maintenance of symptoms of depression and anxiety, which has important implications for youth treatment and prevention programs. There is increasing recognition of the critical role of emotion regulation in the development and maintenance of psychopathology. While there are several existing approaches to the conceptualization and measurement of emotion regulation, Thompson (1994, p. 27-28) has defined emotion regulation as, "the extrinsic and intrinsic processes responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and modifying emotional reactions, especially their intensive and temporal features, to accomplish one's goals." Across this and other definitions, emotion regulation is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct consisting of many distinct facets, such as identification of emotional states, tolerance of emotional arousal, and employment of adaptive coping strategies (e.g., .

Impact of Social-Emotional Factors and School Climate on Middle School Academic Achievement

PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2014

The Impact of a School-Based Academic Support Program on Students’ Psychosocial Impairment

Journal of educational and developmental psychology, May 1, 2023

The skills conveyed in high school are essential for success, and evidence suggests that psychoso... more The skills conveyed in high school are essential for success, and evidence suggests that psychosocial well-being is critical to that process. Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) is an in-school, academic support program that targets underserved students. The current study explored the impact of an intervention program targeting academic achievement on student perceptions of social support and psychosocial impairment. The study was conducted in an under-resourced, majority Latinx high school and the sample included 75 AVID students and 140 demographically matched controls. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed to identify the impact of participation in the AVID program on symptoms of emotional and behavioral distress. After controlling for demographics factors and academic achievement, student perceptions of emotional and teacher support explained 7.2% of the variance in psychosocial distress; participation in the AVID intervention was found to have significantly improved the variance accounted for (ΔR 2 =.02, 5.13, p=.025; R 2 =.11, F(9,204)=2. 90, p=.003). The results of this study indicate that perceived teacher social support and AVID participation were, independently, significantly associated with reduced student psychosocial distress. These findings suggest that interventions targeting the complex mechanisms of school achievement may also have a positive impact on psychosocial impairment beyond student perceptions of social support.

Girls Leading Outward

Educational Leadership, Apr 1, 2011

The gym at Red Bank Middle School is buzzing. There are beautiful decorations, face painting, art... more The gym at Red Bank Middle School is buzzing. There are beautiful decorations, face painting, arts and crafts, and more. Shalonda is teaching younger students how to hula hoop. Annie gets on the loudspeaker to thank the principal and teachers for their support. Maria is encouraging students to donate more money to help the people of Haiti. Anyone looking around can see that students are running this fundraising event, which demonstrates what a group of middle school girls can do when they are given a voice and empowered to lead. At the start of the academic year, these 16 ethnically diverse girls were considered "at-risk," and school staff members were worried about their upcoming transition to high school. Some of the students had experienced behavior difficulties throughout middle school; others were struggling academically or socially. In short, these girls were slowly drowning in a sea of other students. Lessons from research suggested that giving them a negative label and providing remediation would not help them learn to swim on their own. They needed a program that would build their confidence, competence, and character.

Emotional Awareness: A Transdiagnostic Predictor of Depression and Anxiety for Children and Adolescents

Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology : the official journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, Jan 6, 2015

Research increasingly suggests that low emotional awareness may be associated with symptoms of de... more Research increasingly suggests that low emotional awareness may be associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents. However, because most studies have been cross-sectional, it has remained unclear whether low emotional awareness predicts subsequent internalizing symptoms. The current study used longitudinal data to examine the role of emotional awareness as a transdiagnostic predictor of subsequent symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants were 204 youth (86 boys and 118 girls) ages 7-16 who completed self-report measures of emotional awareness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms at baseline, as well as measures of depression and anxiety symptoms every 3 months for a year. Results from hierarchical mixed effects modeling indicated that low baseline emotional awareness predicted both depressive and anxiety symptoms across a 1-year period. These findings suggest that emotional awareness may constitute a transdiagnostic factor, predicting...

Programming for Adolescents in Schools

Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion, 2014

Mechanisms for change: A theoretical pathway for a school-wide social–emotional learning initiative in an urban middle school

Frontiers in Psychology, Feb 15, 2023

Introduction: Investment in academic instruction without complementary attention to the social-em... more Introduction: Investment in academic instruction without complementary attention to the social-emotional environment of students may lead to a failure of both. The current study evaluates a proposed mechanism for change, whereby academic achievement occurs as a result of the social-emotional learning environment impacting behavioral (discipline) outcomes. We tested the hypothesized model during each year of a 3-year intervention to determine whether the relations among these constructs held potential as a pathway for targeted improvement. Results: Path analysis for each year demonstrated excellent fit [Year 1: χ 2 (19) = 76.16, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.05,TLI = 0.98; Year 2: χ 2 (19) = 70.68, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.048, TLI = 0.98; Year 3: χ 2 (19) = 66.59, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.05, TLI = 0.98] supporting the theoretical model for change. For each year the effect of the SEL Environment construct on discipline was significant, as was the effect of discipline on Academic Performance. Further, the indirect effect of SEL Environment on Academic Performance was significant across all years. Discussion: The consistency of these relationships supports the proposed logic model as a potential mechanism for change and has the potential to guide interventions for whole school improvement.

Leading a Multi-Tiered Approach to Bringing Social-Emotional and Character Development to General and Special Education Students

11 In 2000, the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) reported that 94,000 students w... more 11 In 2000, the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) reported that 94,000 students with autism were receiving special education services in public schools. By 2008, that number increased to 336,000 students (NCES, 2010). Currently, over 6.6 million students, or 13% of all public-school students, are receiving special education services. Over the last decade, the increase in the number of students receiving special education services has resulted in a need for school principals that have the leadership knowledge and skills to effectively lead programs that will result in the successful achievement for these students (Lynn, 2015). Further, this rise implies that school principals are navigating educational environments in which they are having to be more directly involved with special education teachers, students, and parents (Lynn, 2015). Research suggests that while the responsibility for leadership in special education is being increasingly delegated to school principa...

Nurturing Students’ Character

Routledge eBooks, Nov 25, 2019

Emotional intelligence and the crisis in schools

Communication and Relationship Skills

Empathy and Perspective Taking

Adolescent health promotion and risk reduction: cementing the social contract between pediatricians and the schools

PubMed, 1994

In this article the implications of a biopsychosocial model of adolescent health promotion for th... more In this article the implications of a biopsychosocial model of adolescent health promotion for the delivery of relevant services in the schools are examined. Adolescent health status is reviewed and is found, despite existing efforts for health promotion and risk reduction, to be in need of substantial improvement. For this to happen, having an early and sustained positive impact on the health trajectory of children is essential; further school-based and school-linked curricular efforts for health promotion are a necessary feature of a successful strategy for adolescent health promotion. In fact, this approach brings to life the social contract between pediatricians and the public to apply the biopsychosocial model at both clinical and societal levels. Curricula serve as the glue that binds diverse health-related concerns and findings emerging from health research into a coordinated, thorough, and detailed strategy and set of actions for school-based and school-linked health promotion efforts. School-linked health programs are consistent with a biopsychosocial perspective, from which the school is best viewed as a health-promoting environment, centered in concepts and practices outlined in and conveyed through the curriculum and associated instructional practices and delivery systems. Many benefits can result from pediatricians and other medical professionals taking a renewed, prominent role in comprehensive school-based and school-linked health promotion efforts, beginning in the early grades, when the trajectory of adolescent health is strongly set into motion.

Building a Class Climate That Supports SECD

Self-Regulation

Routledge eBooks, Nov 25, 2019

Nurturing Students' Character: Everyday Teaching Activities for Social-Emotional Learning

The Road to Success on the Journey Ahead

Cross-Content SECD Elements

Nurturing Students’ Character, 2019

Social Problem Solving

The educator's guide to emotional intelligence and academic achievement : social-emotional learning in the classroom

Corwin Press eBooks, 2006

To the many educators with whom we have collaborated, and those kindred spirits we have not met, ... more

Emotional Awareness: A Transdiagnostic Predictor of Depression and Anxiety for Children and Adolescents

Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Feb 6, 2015

The current study used longitudinal data to examine the role of emotional awareness as a transdia... more The current study used longitudinal data to examine the role of emotional awareness as a transdiagnostic risk factor for internalizing symptoms. Participants were 204 youth, ages 7 to 16, who completed assessments every three months for a year. Results from hierarchical mixed effects modeling indicated that low emotional awareness predicted both depressive and anxiety symptoms for up to one year follow-up. In addition, emotional awareness predicted which youth went on to experience subsequent increases in depressive and anxiety symptoms over the course of the year. Emotional awareness also mediated both the cross-sectional and the longitudinal associations between anxiety and depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that emotional awareness may constitute a transdiagnostic risk factor for the development and/or maintenance of symptoms of depression and anxiety, which has important implications for youth treatment and prevention programs. There is increasing recognition of the critical role of emotion regulation in the development and maintenance of psychopathology. While there are several existing approaches to the conceptualization and measurement of emotion regulation, Thompson (1994, p. 27-28) has defined emotion regulation as, "the extrinsic and intrinsic processes responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and modifying emotional reactions, especially their intensive and temporal features, to accomplish one's goals." Across this and other definitions, emotion regulation is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct consisting of many distinct facets, such as identification of emotional states, tolerance of emotional arousal, and employment of adaptive coping strategies (e.g., .

Impact of Social-Emotional Factors and School Climate on Middle School Academic Achievement

PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2014

The Impact of a School-Based Academic Support Program on Students’ Psychosocial Impairment

Journal of educational and developmental psychology, May 1, 2023

The skills conveyed in high school are essential for success, and evidence suggests that psychoso... more The skills conveyed in high school are essential for success, and evidence suggests that psychosocial well-being is critical to that process. Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) is an in-school, academic support program that targets underserved students. The current study explored the impact of an intervention program targeting academic achievement on student perceptions of social support and psychosocial impairment. The study was conducted in an under-resourced, majority Latinx high school and the sample included 75 AVID students and 140 demographically matched controls. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed to identify the impact of participation in the AVID program on symptoms of emotional and behavioral distress. After controlling for demographics factors and academic achievement, student perceptions of emotional and teacher support explained 7.2% of the variance in psychosocial distress; participation in the AVID intervention was found to have significantly improved the variance accounted for (ΔR 2 =.02, 5.13, p=.025; R 2 =.11, F(9,204)=2. 90, p=.003). The results of this study indicate that perceived teacher social support and AVID participation were, independently, significantly associated with reduced student psychosocial distress. These findings suggest that interventions targeting the complex mechanisms of school achievement may also have a positive impact on psychosocial impairment beyond student perceptions of social support.

Girls Leading Outward

Educational Leadership, Apr 1, 2011

The gym at Red Bank Middle School is buzzing. There are beautiful decorations, face painting, art... more The gym at Red Bank Middle School is buzzing. There are beautiful decorations, face painting, arts and crafts, and more. Shalonda is teaching younger students how to hula hoop. Annie gets on the loudspeaker to thank the principal and teachers for their support. Maria is encouraging students to donate more money to help the people of Haiti. Anyone looking around can see that students are running this fundraising event, which demonstrates what a group of middle school girls can do when they are given a voice and empowered to lead. At the start of the academic year, these 16 ethnically diverse girls were considered "at-risk," and school staff members were worried about their upcoming transition to high school. Some of the students had experienced behavior difficulties throughout middle school; others were struggling academically or socially. In short, these girls were slowly drowning in a sea of other students. Lessons from research suggested that giving them a negative label and providing remediation would not help them learn to swim on their own. They needed a program that would build their confidence, competence, and character.

Emotional Awareness: A Transdiagnostic Predictor of Depression and Anxiety for Children and Adolescents

Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology : the official journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, Jan 6, 2015

Research increasingly suggests that low emotional awareness may be associated with symptoms of de... more Research increasingly suggests that low emotional awareness may be associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents. However, because most studies have been cross-sectional, it has remained unclear whether low emotional awareness predicts subsequent internalizing symptoms. The current study used longitudinal data to examine the role of emotional awareness as a transdiagnostic predictor of subsequent symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants were 204 youth (86 boys and 118 girls) ages 7-16 who completed self-report measures of emotional awareness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms at baseline, as well as measures of depression and anxiety symptoms every 3 months for a year. Results from hierarchical mixed effects modeling indicated that low baseline emotional awareness predicted both depressive and anxiety symptoms across a 1-year period. These findings suggest that emotional awareness may constitute a transdiagnostic factor, predicting...

Programming for Adolescents in Schools

Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion, 2014

Mechanisms for change: A theoretical pathway for a school-wide social–emotional learning initiative in an urban middle school

Frontiers in Psychology, Feb 15, 2023

Introduction: Investment in academic instruction without complementary attention to the social-em... more Introduction: Investment in academic instruction without complementary attention to the social-emotional environment of students may lead to a failure of both. The current study evaluates a proposed mechanism for change, whereby academic achievement occurs as a result of the social-emotional learning environment impacting behavioral (discipline) outcomes. We tested the hypothesized model during each year of a 3-year intervention to determine whether the relations among these constructs held potential as a pathway for targeted improvement. Results: Path analysis for each year demonstrated excellent fit [Year 1: χ 2 (19) = 76.16, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.05,TLI = 0.98; Year 2: χ 2 (19) = 70.68, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.048, TLI = 0.98; Year 3: χ 2 (19) = 66.59, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.05, TLI = 0.98] supporting the theoretical model for change. For each year the effect of the SEL Environment construct on discipline was significant, as was the effect of discipline on Academic Performance. Further, the indirect effect of SEL Environment on Academic Performance was significant across all years. Discussion: The consistency of these relationships supports the proposed logic model as a potential mechanism for change and has the potential to guide interventions for whole school improvement.

Leading a Multi-Tiered Approach to Bringing Social-Emotional and Character Development to General and Special Education Students

11 In 2000, the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) reported that 94,000 students w... more 11 In 2000, the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) reported that 94,000 students with autism were receiving special education services in public schools. By 2008, that number increased to 336,000 students (NCES, 2010). Currently, over 6.6 million students, or 13% of all public-school students, are receiving special education services. Over the last decade, the increase in the number of students receiving special education services has resulted in a need for school principals that have the leadership knowledge and skills to effectively lead programs that will result in the successful achievement for these students (Lynn, 2015). Further, this rise implies that school principals are navigating educational environments in which they are having to be more directly involved with special education teachers, students, and parents (Lynn, 2015). Research suggests that while the responsibility for leadership in special education is being increasingly delegated to school principa...

Nurturing Students’ Character

Routledge eBooks, Nov 25, 2019

Emotional intelligence and the crisis in schools

Communication and Relationship Skills

Empathy and Perspective Taking

Adolescent health promotion and risk reduction: cementing the social contract between pediatricians and the schools

PubMed, 1994

In this article the implications of a biopsychosocial model of adolescent health promotion for th... more In this article the implications of a biopsychosocial model of adolescent health promotion for the delivery of relevant services in the schools are examined. Adolescent health status is reviewed and is found, despite existing efforts for health promotion and risk reduction, to be in need of substantial improvement. For this to happen, having an early and sustained positive impact on the health trajectory of children is essential; further school-based and school-linked curricular efforts for health promotion are a necessary feature of a successful strategy for adolescent health promotion. In fact, this approach brings to life the social contract between pediatricians and the public to apply the biopsychosocial model at both clinical and societal levels. Curricula serve as the glue that binds diverse health-related concerns and findings emerging from health research into a coordinated, thorough, and detailed strategy and set of actions for school-based and school-linked health promotion efforts. School-linked health programs are consistent with a biopsychosocial perspective, from which the school is best viewed as a health-promoting environment, centered in concepts and practices outlined in and conveyed through the curriculum and associated instructional practices and delivery systems. Many benefits can result from pediatricians and other medical professionals taking a renewed, prominent role in comprehensive school-based and school-linked health promotion efforts, beginning in the early grades, when the trajectory of adolescent health is strongly set into motion.

Building a Class Climate That Supports SECD

Self-Regulation

Routledge eBooks, Nov 25, 2019

Nurturing Students' Character: Everyday Teaching Activities for Social-Emotional Learning

The Road to Success on the Journey Ahead

Cross-Content SECD Elements

Nurturing Students’ Character, 2019

Social Problem Solving