5 - (OP14) sel4@ll Program: A Pilot Study of a School-based Serious Game for Social and Emotional Learning and Well-being

Adolescence is a critical developmental period marked by increased vulnerability to mental health difficulties. Recent evidence shows rising levels of emotional distress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and school burnout among young people across countries, underscoring the urgent need for early, preventive, and scalable interventions. Schools are uniquely positioned to address this mental health crisis through universal programs that promote emotional regulation, social competence, and psychological resilience. In this context, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) aligns closely with cognitive and behavioral principles underlying adaptive functioning and well-being.
The SEL4@ll program is a school-based digital intervention grounded in Social and Emotional Education, character development, and positive youth development frameworks. It adopts an innovative digital approach by delivering SEL content through a serious game designed to enhance engagement, motivation, and accessibility. By combining experiential gameplay with guided classroom reflection, the program aims to strengthen core social-emotional competencies that function as protective factors against emotional and behavioral difficulties.
This pilot study evaluated the socio-emotional and well-being outcomes associated with participation in SEL4@ll among 150 adolescents from secondary schools in Germany, Italy, and Spain, recruited through convenience sampling. The intervention consisted of six weeks of individual gameplay complemented by teacher-facilitated classroom sessions to support skill transfer. Quantitative data were collected via an online battery of standardized self-report measures at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), and two-month follow-up (T3), assessing primary outcomes (social-emotional competencies) and secondary outcomes (well-being, social inclusion, school burnout, and emotional symptoms). Qualitative feedback from students and teachers was also collected to explore acceptability and implementation factors. Linear mixed-effects models were used to account for clustering and cross-national variability.
Results indicated progressive improvements in social-emotional competencies and well-being over time, with particularly notable gains following participation in the SEL4@ll program. Reductions in perceived school burnout and emotional symptoms were also observed, suggesting potential preventive effects on emerging mental health risk factors.
Overall, these findings highlight the potential of technology-enhanced, school-based SEL interventions as a scalable and preventive response to the adolescent mental health crisis. The cross-national design supports the cultural adaptability of a shared SEL framework, while the serious game format illustrates how digital tools can deliver CBT-consistent skills in an engaging and inclusive manner. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence to inform the development and integration of SEL-based digital interventions within school mental health promotion and prevention strategies.