The objective of the study is to examine the relationships between the social and emotional learning needs and self-efficacy fields of middle school students via canonical correlation analysis. A total of 567 students (female n= 286, male n= 281) were included in the study who were selected from three different primary schools in the Buca district of Izmir during the 2011-2012 school year. Social-emotional Learning Scale, Self-efficacy Scale for Children and personal information forms were used as data acquisition tools. As a result of the study, it was concluded that there is a positive and significant canonical relationship between social and emotional learning needs and self-efficacy. In conclusion, it has been determined that students with higher task articulation, peer relations, and self-regulation were those with more self-efficacy which in other words means that social and emotional learning needs also contribute to the increase of the self-efficacy of students.

Keywords: Social and emotional learning, self-efficacy, canonical correlation