Date of Award

12-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Education

First Advisor

Michelle Whitacre

Second Advisor

Jana Haywood

Third Advisor

Tiffany Gholson

Abstract

The escalating mental health crisis among adolescents, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, positioned schools as critical intervention sites for supporting student well-being (K. McNamara, 2020). However, teacher capacity and self-efficacy in implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies remain significant barriers to effective, sustainable practice. This mixed-methods design-based research study examined the efficacy of professional development and instructional coaching in enhancing teacher self-efficacy and supporting the implementation of SEL competencies in high school classrooms.

The researcher employed a comprehensive, five-stage design thinking framework (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test) to develop and evaluate a structured eight-week professional development and coaching intervention targeting SEL implementation aligned with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework. The study utilized a pre-post intervention design with ten high school teachers (N = 10, with N = 7 completing the full intervention) from an urban Midwestern school serving predominantly African American students from low-income backgrounds. Data collection encompassed multiple quantitative measures (pre-post Likert-scale surveys assessing knowledge and self-efficacy) and qualitative approaches (semi-structured interviews, classroom observations using validated, 20-item CASEL-aligned instruments, and thematic analysis).

Statistical analysis using paired-samples t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements across all measured knowledge domains and self-efficacy measures (p < .05 to p < .01), with large effect sizes ranging from moderate to large (Cohen’s d = 0.68 to d = 1.25). The largest gains were observed in CASEL Training knowledge (M = 1.50 to M = 2.29, d = 1.25), followed by SEL Intervention Competency (M = 2.10 to M = 2.71, d = 0.88). Overall self-efficacy improved significantly from pre-test (M = 2.43, SD = 0.89) to post-test (M = 3.14, SD = 0.66), t(6) = 3.48, p = .007, with a large effect size (d = 1.10). Teacher self-reported implementation confidence increased across multiple dimensions, with gains in perceived implementation ability (M = 2.40 to M = 3.14, d = 1.06) and implementation preparedness (M = 2.30 to M = 3.00, d = 0.93).

Classroom observations corroborated these self-reported gains, documenting substantial improvements in observable SEL practices across the intervention period. Week 3 baseline assessments revealed emerging implementation of supportive classroom climate strategies, while Week 7 final assessments demonstrated significant progress in creating affirming classroom environments, increased student voice and opportunity sharing, comprehensive integration of SEL concepts into physical classroom spaces, and explicit connection of classroom routines to SEL competencies.

Qualitative analysis revealed six primary themes related to SEL implementation: knowledge development and professional growth, implementation challenges and barriers, resource and support needs, implementation approaches and strategies, sustainability and school-wide impact, and teacher personal growth and reflection. Teachers identified five essential supports for successful implementation: ongoing professional development, administrative support with protected instructional time, ready-to-use grade-appropriate materials, collaborative teacher learning communities, and individualized coaching with constructive feedback.

The study’s null hypothesis that professional development and instructional coaching would not result in statistically significant improvements in teachers’ knowledge and self-efficacy was rejected, based on comprehensive evidence across quantitative and qualitative data sources. Post-intervention qualitative findings demonstrated a marked shift from reactive to proactive and systematic SEL implementation approaches, with teachers describing enhanced confidence, intentional integration of SEL principles throughout curriculum, and stronger peer collaboration.

The findings revealed substantially significant differences between pre- and post-intervention measures, demonstrating that high school teachers who participated in structured professional development and instructional coaching showed meaningful improvements in both SEL knowledge and implementation self-efficacy. The intervention’s effectiveness was attributed to five key elements: scaffolded support structures transitioning from intensive to on-demand coaching, job-embedded professional development through multi-tiered professional learning communities, explicit alignment with research-based frameworks (CASEL and Illinois SEL Standards), responsive design thinking methodology that centered teacher voice and iteratively refined supports, and integration of multiple support mechanisms addressing individual, classroom, and school-level factors.

However, the study identified significant systemic barriers limiting sustainability and scalability, including inadequate time for SEL planning within packed curricula, inconsistent administrative engagement in professional development, unanticipated logistical disruptions affecting program continuity, variability in teachers’ baseline knowledge and readiness, and potential self-selection bias inherent in voluntary participation. Leadership emerged as a critical factor, with transformational leadership practices including modeling SEL competencies, protecting instructional time, and fostering collaborative professional communities identified as essential for sustaining SEL implementation beyond the intervention period.

The results have significant implications for educational practice, suggesting that relatively brief but carefully structured professional development combined with sustained instructional coaching can yield substantial improvements in teacher self-efficacy and SEL implementation without extensive curriculum overhauls. The research contributed to the limited literature on effective professional development models for secondary teachers implementing SEL and provides a replicable design thinking-based framework for bridging the gap between teacher capacity limitations and student mental health needs.

This study affirms that SEL implementation is not merely a technical exercise of curriculum adoption but an adaptive leadership challenge requiring culture change, organizational alignment, and sustained commitment across individual, school, and system levels. Future efforts must extend beyond individual professional development cycles to encompass leadership training, structural redesign, and authentic stakeholder partnerships. The research demonstrates how targeted, comprehensive professional learning grounded in design thinking principles can enhance teachers’ confidence and competence in supporting adolescent social-emotional development, particularly in high-poverty, under-resourced urban schools.

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