ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Educational Psychology
Social-Emotional Learning for Students with ADHD: Investigating Teacher Perspectives and Practices
Provisionally accepted
Keetam D. F. Alkahtani*
Ghram A. S. Kushi- King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is a powerful approach for helping students develop essential life skills. For students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), these skills are particularly vital. The five core competencies of SEL directly address the executive function deficits that often accompany ADHD. The successful implementation of SEL depends heavily on teachers' attitudes and beliefs. This study provides a comprehensive look at teachers' perceptions and practices of SEL for students with ADHD, along with the challenges they face. The study employed mixed-methods combined a self-reporting quantitative survey supplemented with three qualitative open-ended questions administered to 144 primary school teachers (91 female, 53 male). Teachers' perceptions and practices of SEL for students with ADHD were found to differ based on gender, but not based on job title, years of experience, or academic degree. The integrated findings from both quantitative and qualitative data reveal a clear and consistent picture: teachers recognize the significant value of SEL, but systemic barriers prevent them from fully implementing it. Closing this gap between belief and practice is essential for the holistic development and academic success of students with ADHD. Without dedicated support and resources, the full potential of SEL to positively impact students with ADHD will remain unrealized.
Keywords: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), mixed-methods, Self-Assessment, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), teachers
Received: 28 Aug 2025; Accepted: 09 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Alkahtani and Kushi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Keetam D. F. Alkahtani
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