Emotion Regulation Strategy Knowledge and Social-Emotional Skills in Early Childhood: Linking Self-Reports to Teacher Ratings

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Social-Emotional Development and Regulation

Abstract

Using a novel interview-based measure, we examined whether preschoolers' self-reported knowledge of emotion regulation strategies had predictive validity for teacher-rated social-emotional learning (SEL) in a racially/ethnically, socioeconomically, and linguistically diverse sample from San Francisco Unified School District (N=1,458; Mage=4.44). Children's strategy knowledge at Preschool Fall predicted teacher ratings of SEL at Spring. Fall teacher ratings also predicted growth in emotion regulation strategy knowledge by Spring, controlling for continuity over the year. Predictive validity extended into Kindergarten; emotion regulation strategy knowledge at Preschool Fall predicted Kindergarten teachers' ratings of SEL over and above Preschool teacher reports. Findings underscore the value of child self-reports as a complement to teacher-report assessments to promote equitable, child-centered evaluations of SEL in diverse early childhood classrooms.

Authors

• Catie Connolly, Stanford University

• Emma Strouse, Stanford University

• Jelena Obradovic, Stanford University