Abstract

Against a backdrop of escalating academic pressure and alarming rates of student mental health diRculties, emotional resilience has emerged as a core competency that contemporary education must deliberately cultivate. This article presents a systematic narrative review of domestic and international research (2011- 2025) examining the relationship between Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs and the development of emotional resilience in learners. The review reveals that SEL fosters resilience through two principal mechanisms: (1) strengthening internal protective factors such as self-awareness, emotion regulation, self-esteem, and growth mindset; and (2) reinforcing external protective factors including peer and teacher social support networks. Meta- analytic evidence from hundreds of studies encompassing hundreds of thousands of students globally con'rms statistically signi'cant eKects of SEL in reducing anxiety, depression, and problem behaviors, while enhancing long-term psychological well-being. In Vietnam, despite pressing practical needs, systematic SEL research and implementation remain limited. the article proposes several orientations for integrating SEL into Vietnam’s educational settings in ways that are culturally appropriate and contextually relevant.

Keywords: CASEL, emotional resilience, learners, school mental health, SEL, social-emotional learning.