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Simple questionnaires outperform behavioral tasks to measure socio-emotional skills in students

Author

Listed:
  • M. Boon-Falleur

    (IJN - Institut Jean-Nicod - DEC - Département d'Etudes Cognitives - ENS Paris - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CdF (institution) - Collège de France - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Département de Philosophie - ENS Paris - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres)

  • A. Bouguen

    (Santa Clara University)

  • A. Charpentier

    (MENJS-DEPP-B4 - MENJS-DEPP-B4, Bureau de l'évaluation des dispositifs éducatifs et des études sur les pratiques enseignantes - DEPP - Direction de l'évaluation, de la prospective et de la performance - M.E.N.E.S.R. - Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche)

  • Y. Algan

    (HEC Paris - Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales)

  • Élise Huillery

    (Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, LEDa - Laboratoire d'Economie de Dauphine - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • C. Chevallier

    (Ecole Normale Supérieure - UMNG - Université Marien-Ngouabi [Université de Brazzaville] = Marien Ngouabi University [University of Brazzaville])

Abstract

Recent empirical research has shown that improving socio-emotional skills such as grit, conscientiousness and self-control leads to higher academic achievement and better life outcomes. However, both theoretical and empirical works have raised concerns about the reliability of the different methods used to measure socio-emotional skills. We compared the reliability and validity of the three leading measurements methods - a student-reported questionnaire, a teacher-reported questionnaire, and a behavioral task - in a sample of 3,997 French students. Before analyzing the data, we polled 114 experts in cognitive development and education economics; most experts in both fields predicted that the behavioral task would be the best method. We found instead that the teacher questionnaire was more predictive of students' behavioral outcomes and of their grade progression, while the behavioral task was the least predictive. This work suggests that researchers may not be using optimal tools to measure socio-emotional skills in children.

Suggested Citation

  • M. Boon-Falleur & A. Bouguen & A. Charpentier & Y. Algan & Élise Huillery & C. Chevallier, 2022. "Simple questionnaires outperform behavioral tasks to measure socio-emotional skills in students," Post-Print hal-03908398, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03908398
    DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04046-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Danon, Alice & Das, Jishnu & de Barros, Andreas & Filmer, Deon, 2024. "Cognitive and socioemotional skills in low-income countries: Measurement and associations with schooling and earnings," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).

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