Poster #12 - The Role of Social Skills, Behavioral Engagement, and Gender in Early Adolescents' Academic Achievement

• In Event: 81.034 - MTCC Poster Session 20
  In Poster Session: 81.034-2 - Student Engagement and Academic Success

Abstract

This study examines the predictive relation between social skills and behavioral engagement and its effect on reading and math achievement during third and fourth grades. Social support and behavioral engagement are important components in promoting positive academic experiences in the lives of young children. Considering the structural relation between social support and behavioral engagement, we applied a Structural Equation Modeling approach to understanding how the socioemotional factors mediated and predicted each other and how they impacted the cross-lagged reading and math achievement directly and indirectly. A multigroup analysis on the above proposed model is conducted to examine gender differences. The study results provide implications that improving socioemotional skills may predict better academic achievement and even the developmental growth over time.

Authors

• Xiaodan Tang, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Ting Dai, University of Illinois at Chicago