Discussion paper

DP14523 The Causal Impact of Socio-Emotional Skills Training on Educational Success

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 enroll in university. Two mechanisms drive these results. Treated children show fewer ADHD 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.

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Citation

Sorrenti, G, U Zölitz, D Ribeaud and M Eisner (2020), ‘DP14523 The Causal Impact of Socio-Emotional Skills Training on Educational Success‘, CEPR Discussion Paper No. 14523. CEPR Press, Paris & London. https://cepr.org/publications/dp14523