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18 Dec 2017
Report

Identifying, Defining, and Measuring Social and Emotional Competencies

Juliette Berg, David Osher, Michelle R. Same, Elizabeth Nolan, Deaweh Benson, and Naomi Jacobs

Strong social and emotional (SE) competencies are essential for young people to succeed in school, work, and life. Reviews of SE competency frameworks and indicators increase understanding of what competencies are critical for healthy development and how to measure them.

With the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AIR conducted a comprehensive scan and analysis of social and emotional competency frameworks from over 20 areas of study, spanning from school-based competency development, positive youth development, and character education, to foster care, juvenile justice, and public health. The search focused on childhood through early adulthood.

The scan was guided by the following research questions:

  • What are relevant fields, and what is their orientation toward social and emotional development?
  • What are the major frameworks or models that identify SE competencies in each of these fields? What are the similarities and differences between frameworks?
  • What are the competencies identified by the frameworks?
  • Do the key competencies have associated measures? If not, does their ability to be measured and their malleability suggest that it would be useful to invest in measurement work regarding the particular competencies?

This report provides a database of the diverse frameworks and competencies identified in the scan, as well as related measures, which can serve as a guide for researchers and practitioners who are interested in identifying and making decisions about what social and emotional competency frameworks, competencies, and measures to use in their own work. Results from the study can also help the field develop better measures of social and emotional competencies for use in research and practice.

PDF icon Identifying, Defining, and Measuring Social and Emotional Competencies (PDF)

Related Projects

SEL-spotlight-teacher-student-544655644-cropped.jpg

Image of teacher and middle school students
Project

Digging Deeper into Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Exploring the SEL Landscape

Social and emotional skills and competencies are essential for young people to succeed in school, work, and life. In the past decade, there has been an increasing number of studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and syntheses that focus on the key role that social and emotional learning (SEL) plays in the success and well-being of children and youth. AIR, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, designed and executed two related activities to explore and describe SEL for practitioners and researchers.

Related Work

18 Feb 2017
Report

The Intersection of School Climate and Social and Emotional Development

Two related strands of research—social and emotional learning and school climate—provide guidance on how to support students in an equitable, collaborative, and healthy environment. This paper shares propositions from a project with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation about how to create healthy, safe, nurturing, and developmentally supportive schools.
Topic: 
Education, School Climate and Safety, Social and Emotional Learning

Further Reading

  • The Intersection of School Climate and Social and Emotional Development
  • Digging Deeper into Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Exploring the SEL Landscape
  • School Climate and Social and Emotional Learning: The Integration of Two Approaches
  • Creating Healthy Schools: Ten Key Ideas for the SEL and School Climate Community
  • Creating Safe, Equitable, Engaging Schools: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Approach to Supporting Students
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Contact

Juliette Berg

Juliette Berg

Senior Researcher
David Osher

David Osher

Vice President and Institute Fellow

Topic

Education
School Climate and Safety
Social and Emotional Learning

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