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

Author(s):	Manuel Eisner, Denis Ribeaud, Giuseppe Sorrenti, Ulf Zölitz
Publication Date:	March 2020
Keyword(s):	child development, randomized intervention, School tracking, Socio-Emotional Skills
JEL(s):	C93, I21, I24, I26, J24
Programme Areas:	Labour Economics
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=14523

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.