By Dave DeFusco
Sydney Ostroff, a student in the Katz School鈥檚 Occupational Therapy Doctorate, believes that social and emotional learning should not end when people leave school. Yet most programs designed to teach emotional regulation, communication and decision-making skills are aimed at children, leaving many neurodivergent adults without support tailored to their needs.
To help address that gap, Ostroff developed 鈥淭he SELf Project: A Yoga-Based SEL Program for Neurodivergent Adults,鈥 which she presented at the 2026 Symposium on Science, Technology and Health. The project explored whether combining social and emotional learning (SEL) with yoga could help neurodivergent adults strengthen skills that are important for daily life, work and community participation.
鈥淪ocial and emotional learning helps people better understand themselves, manage emotions, communicate effectively and make thoughtful decisions,鈥 said Ostroff. 鈥淲hile these skills are often taught in schools, there are very few programs specifically designed for neurodivergent adults. I wanted to explore how we could create an intervention that was meaningful, relevant and accessible for this population.鈥
Occupational therapy focuses on helping people participate in the activities that are important to them, whether that means working, socializing, living independently or engaging in hobbies. For many neurodivergent adults, challenges related to emotional regulation, executive functioning and social communication can create barriers to these activities.
Executive functioning refers to mental skills that help people plan, organize, focus attention and manage tasks. Difficulties in these areas can affect workplace performance, relationships and everyday responsibilities.
鈥淣eurodivergent adults often have limited opportunities to participate in structured social-emotional learning programs,鈥 said Ostroff. 鈥淢ost existing interventions were originally developed for children, so there is a clear need for approaches that address adult experiences and real-world situations.鈥
To investigate this need, Ostroff designed and implemented a six-week structured program that combined yoga activities with SEL strategies. A key component of the project involved adapting social stories鈥攕hort narratives that help individuals understand and navigate social situations鈥攆or adult-centered scenarios. Social stories are commonly used with children, but Ostroff wanted to determine whether they could also support neurodivergent adults when tailored to workplace, community and everyday life experiences.
鈥淎n important part of the project was adapting social stories to reflect situations that adults actually encounter,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he goal was to make social-emotional learning more practical and applicable to daily life.鈥
After completing the program, participant experiences were evaluated through audio-recorded discussions and thematic analysis. This approach allowed Ostroff to identify common patterns and themes in participants鈥 feedback.
The analysis revealed four major domains of social-emotional learning that emerged during the program: self-regulation, social communication, work readiness and responsible decision-making. Self-regulation refers to the ability to recognize and manage emotions, behaviors and sensory experiences. Participants demonstrated increasing awareness of strategies that helped them regulate emotional and sensory responses.
鈥淢any participants became more aware of what their bodies and minds were experiencing in different situations,鈥 said Ostroff. 鈥淭hey began identifying techniques that helped them feel more grounded, calm and prepared to respond effectively to challenges.鈥
The study also highlighted improvements in social communication, an area that can significantly affect relationships and community participation. Participants discussed ways of applying skills learned during the program to interactions with others.
Work readiness emerged as another important theme. Participants connected social-emotional learning skills to workplace situations, including managing stress, communicating with colleagues and navigating professional responsibilities.
Responsible decision-making also appeared throughout participant feedback. The program encouraged individuals to reflect on choices, consider consequences and develop strategies for responding to everyday situations.
Ostroff said the findings demonstrate a significant and ongoing need for SEL programming designed specifically for neurodivergent adults.
鈥淥ur results suggest that adults benefit from opportunities to learn and practice social-emotional skills in ways that are relevant to their lives,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he combination of yoga, social stories and structured SEL activities created a supportive environment for developing these skills.鈥
The project also provided evidence that adult-adapted social stories may be a promising intervention tool beyond pediatric settings.
鈥淪ocial stories have traditionally been associated with children, but our findings suggest they can be effective for adults as well when the content reflects adult experiences,鈥 said Ostroff. 鈥淭hey helped participants connect social-emotional concepts to real-life situations in meaningful ways.鈥
As awareness of neurodiversity continues to grow, Ostroff hopes the research will encourage the development of more programs that support adults throughout their lives.
鈥淭his project highlights the importance of creating interventions that recognize the unique strengths and needs of neurodivergent adults,鈥 she said. 鈥淓veryone deserves access to tools that support emotional well-being, communication and participation in the activities that matter most to them.鈥
