The impact of social and emotional learning on students' bullying behavior: Serial mediation of social and emotional competence and peer relationship

Abstract Social and emotional learning (SEL) has gradually implemented in Chinese schools and is considered as an effective way to improve students' performance. This research aimed to study the influence of SEL on students' bullying behavior, and the role that social and emotional competence (SEC) and peer relationship play in SEL and students' bullying. The participants were 2049 students in primary and secondary schools in Beijing, China. SEM was used to examine the mediating role of SEC and peer relationship. The study found that SEL can significantly predict students' bullying behavior. In addition, SEC and peer relationship sequentially mediate the relationship between SEL and students' bullying behavior.