This research investigates whether teenagers miss important socio-emotional development when they stop reading fiction. Using a 2.4 million-word corpus compiled from books read by nearly 700 adolescents, it found rich emotional vocabulary and physical descriptions of emotions that may strengthen emotion recognition, emotional regulation, empathy, and adolescent mental health.

This research shows that pedagogical innovation significantly enhances university students’ socio-emotional development. Surveying 156 engineering students, it finds that active, inclusive, and technology-enhanced teaching explains nearly two-thirds of emotional skill development. Human-centered innovation deepens learning and fosters empathy, resilience, and well-being.