Review of Economic Studies Vol. 92 No. 1 2025
The Causal Impact of Socio-Emotional Skills Training on Educational Success
Abstract
We study the long-term effects of a randomized intervention targeting children's socio-emotional skills. The classroom-based intervention for primary school children has positive impacts that persist for over a decade. Treated children become more likely to complete academic high school and enrol in university. Two mechanisms drive these results. Treated children show fewer attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms: they are less impulsive and less disruptive. They also attain higher grades, but they do not score higher on standardized tests. The long-term effects on educational attainment thus appear to be driven by changes in socio-emotional skills rather than cognitive skills.
- DOI
- 10.1093/restud/rdae018
- Volume
- 92
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 506-552
- Language
- en
- Sources
- bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref