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The purpose of this study was to estimate the longitudinal and reciprocal predictive relations between children’s social skills, measured by an adaptation of the frequently used Social Skills Rating Scale, and their standardized academic achievement. A large nationally representative sample of elementary school students were assessed at least annually from kindergarten through fifth grade in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011 ( n = 7963). Structural equation modeling was used to test a panel model of teacher-rated interpersonal and self-control skills and children’s scores on standardized reading, math, and science achievement tests. Reciprocal relations between children’s social skills and achievement were supported throughout elementary school, with achievement showing a stronger and consistent pattern of influence on children’s subsequent social skills.
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This content will become publicly available on January 1, 2026
Do Preschool Peers Create a Sustaining Environment in Kindergarten? Evidence from the ECLS-K:2011
Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort 2011, we examine (i) whether more preschool attendees in a kindergarten classroom relate to higher academic and social skills for children who did not go to preschool, (ii) whether more preschool attendees in the classroom moderate the benefits of preschool attendance (child N = 11,360; class N = 2,460; 67% White; 51% males; Mage= 5.6 years), and (iii) whether more preschool attendees in the classroom relate to teachers’ perceptions of children’s skills and their instructional content. In contrast to prior analyses using the 1998 cohort of the ECLS-K, we found no evidence of an association between the classroom percentage of preschool-attending peers and children’s academic, executive function, and behavioral and prosocial skills. However, we found that the percentage of preschool peers was associated with teachers’ perceptions of children’s reading skills and teachers’ instructional time spent on advanced reading content.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1749275
- PAR ID:
- 10625422
- Publisher / Repository:
- Sage
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- AERA Open
- Volume:
- 11
- ISSN:
- 2332-8584
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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