Academic Success of Collegiate Athletes and Social and Emotional Learning

Abstract

College student-athletes represent a unique sub-population of college students with several competing responsibilities to fulfill. While institutions of higher education have historically used standardized test scores and GPA as predictors of students’ academic success, there have been shifts to include non-cognitive, social and emotional factors in this predictive model. Social and emotional skills can be developed. Research has shown that implementing social and emotional learning curriculum has positive impacts on academic achievement, student attitudes about learning, and the creation of prosocial behaviors. These benefits contribute to increased student persistence, retention, and graduation rates. While the connection between social and emotional learning and academic achievement is well documented, there is a lack of research and practical application of social and emotional learning curriculum in higher education with collegiate student-athletes. Advisors, academic support personnel, coaches, and athletic administrators who understand student-athletes’ social and emotional capabilities can use this understanding to help holistically develop student-athletes. Breaking down siloed, departmental operations within higher education and sharing information to work collaboratively for the good of student-athletes can lead to higher academic achievement, better on-field performance, and graduates with the necessary soft skills to succeed in a competitive job market.