Interventions Addressing Current Social Polarization in the School Context: A Scoping Review
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| Title: | Interventions Addressing Current Social Polarization in the School Context: A Scoping Review |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Marie Y. Müller (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Early Adolescence. 2026 46(1):111-146. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 36 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Elementary Education Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education High Schools |
| Descriptors: | Educational Environment, Intervention, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Social Influences, Political Attitudes, Preservice Teachers, Professional Personnel, School Personnel, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Universities |
| DOI: | 10.1177/02724316251352126 |
| ISSN: | 0272-4316 1552-5449 |
| Abstract: | The current climate in schools is increasingly polarized, mirroring the social and political tensions at the meso- and macro-levels of society. This relatively recent phenomenon calls for school-based interventions, yet the existing empirical evidence is still scant. This scoping literature review aimed to provide an overview of existing studies that critically and/or empirically appraise interventions implemented at the intersection of social polarization and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the school setting. It examined interventions both for students of all grade levels and ages and for pre- and in-service school professionals. A total of 60 studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. While student interventions involving arts-based methods, simulation approaches, and skill training appeared to be particularly promising, policy-oriented and didactic interventions yielded mixed results. These preliminary results suggest that school interventions facilitating expression and agency may have fewer adverse outcomes than more prescriptive approaches. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1490780 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The current climate in schools is increasingly polarized, mirroring the social and political tensions at the meso- and macro-levels of society. This relatively recent phenomenon calls for school-based interventions, yet the existing empirical evidence is still scant. This scoping literature review aimed to provide an overview of existing studies that critically and/or empirically appraise interventions implemented at the intersection of social polarization and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the school setting. It examined interventions both for students of all grade levels and ages and for pre- and in-service school professionals. A total of 60 studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. While student interventions involving arts-based methods, simulation approaches, and skill training appeared to be particularly promising, policy-oriented and didactic interventions yielded mixed results. These preliminary results suggest that school interventions facilitating expression and agency may have fewer adverse outcomes than more prescriptive approaches. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0272-4316 1552-5449 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/02724316251352126 |
