Abstract:

Adolescence represents a pivotal developmental stage characterised by rapid physical, cognitive, social, and emotional transformation. For young people living in low socioeconomic communities in South Africa, this transition unfolds within environments marked by structural inequality, limited resources, and heightened exposure to risk. These conditions shape the social worlds in which adolescents construct meaning, negotiate identity, and engage with learning opportunities, often under circumstances that limit emotional safety and developmental support.

This qualitative study employed a conceptual desktop analysis to synthesise interdisciplinary literature on the nexus between socioemotional factors and adolescents’ learning and development in these contexts. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory guided the analysis, foregrounding the central role of social interaction and cultural practices in shaping adolescents’ cognitive growth and learning identities. Three thematic patterns emerged: socioemotional adversity shaping learning and cognition; sociocultural contexts as developmental scaffolds; and relational support fostering resilience.

The synthesis showed that socioemotional strain, driven by poverty, community violence, unstable caregiving, and peer pressures, significantly disrupts emotional regulation, attentional focus, and academic engagement. At the same time, adolescents’ developmental pathways are co‑constructed through culturally mediated interactions with caregivers, teachers, and peers, with language serving as a key tool for meaning‑making and internalising coping strategies. The analysis further reveals that supportive relational networks, including positive family communication and peer modelling, act as critical scaffolds that enhance socioemotional risk and strengthen learning motivation.

The study concluded that enhancing adolescents’ socioemotional support is essential for promoting better developmental outcomes and resilient learning trajectories in lower socioeconomic settings in South Africa. Investing in adolescents’ socioemotional well-being is therefore critical not only for their individual success but also for building more stable and equitable South African communities.

Keywords:

Adolescents, socioemotional factors, learning and development, lower socio-economic communities, academic performance.