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Cited by 1,190Early Childhood Education and DevelopmentChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentYouth Development and Social Support

Early Social-Emotional Functioning and Public Health: The Relationship Between Kindergarten Social Competence and Future Wellness

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Jones, Damon E., Greenberg, Mark, Crowley, Max·2015·American Journal of Public Health
DOI 10.2105/ajph.2015.302630PMC PMC4605168
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Abstract

Objectives. We examined whether kindergarten teachers' ratings of children’s prosocial skills, an indicator of noncognitive ability at school entry, predict key adolescent and adult outcomes. Our goal was to determine unique associations over and above other important child, family, and contextual characteristics. Methods. Data came from the Fast Track study of low–socioeconomic status neighborhoods in 3 cities and 1 rural setting. We assessed associations between measured outcomes in kindergarten and outcomes 13 to 19 years later (1991–2000). Models included numerous control variables representing characteristics of the child, family, and context, enabling us to explore the unique contributions among predictors. Results. We found statistically significant associations between measured social-emotional skills in kindergarten and key young adult outcomes across multiple domains of education, employment, criminal activity, substance use, and mental health. Conclusions. A kindergarten measure of social-emotional skills may be useful for assessing whether children are at risk for deficits in noncognitive skills later in life and, thus, help identify those in need of early intervention. These results demonstrate the relevance of noncognitive skills in development for personal and public health outcomes.

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  • Self-regulation skills and attributes are critical for success in school and life, and there is a strong evidence base to support their vital contribution to short- and long-term social, emotional, cognitive, academic, financial, and health outcomes.

    “Self-regulation skills and attributes are critical for success in school and life, and there is a strong evidence base to support their vital contribution to short-and long-term social, emotional, cognitive, academic, financial, and health outcomes”

    From Malleability, plasticity, and individuality: How children learn and develop in context<sup>1</sup> (2019) · cites this paper as D. E. Jones, Greenberg, & Crowley, 2015

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Authors
Jones, D. E., Greenberg, M., & Crowley, M.
Affiliations
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
  • Damon E. Jones and Mark Greenberg are with the Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park. Max Crowley is with the Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC.
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Public Health
Publisher
American Public Health Association
Published
2015-11
Volume
105
Issue
11
Pages
2283-2290
ISSN
  • 0090-0036 (ISSN-L)
  • 1541-0048
DOI
10.2105/ajph.2015.302630
PMC
PMC4605168
OpenAlex
W2100958095
Cited by
1,190
References
15
Citations by year
2026: 107 · 2025: 127 · 2024: 119 · 2023: 147 · 2022: 125 · 2021: 137 · 2020: 129 · 2019: 116 · 2018: 78 · 2017: 62 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 4
FWCI
310.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Public Health (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  • Pennsylvania State University
  • National Institutes of Health (5p20da017589-05)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R18 MH 50953, R18MH050951, R18 MH50951, R18MH48043, K05MH000797, K05MH-00797, R18-MH50952, R18MH048043, K05MH01027, R18MH050953, K05MH001027, R18MH050952)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA 16903, R01DA016903, P20- DA017589, P30DA023026, K05DA015226, DA017589)
  • Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Early Childhood Education and Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
Keywords
socioemotional skills, prosocial skills, kindergarten, non-cognitive skills, social competence, adolescent outcomes, young adult outcomes, educational attainment, employment, criminal activity, substance use, mental health, low socioeconomic status, early intervention, public health
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Child Development, Child, Preschool, Crime, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Poverty, Public Health, Residence Characteristics, Schools, Sex Factors, Social Adjustment, Socioeconomic Factors, Early Intervention, Educational, Substance-Related Disorders, Young Adult, Social Skills

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