A Pennsylvania study found that children given structured lessons in social, emotional and language skills reported less loneliness and depression and greater life satisfaction almost two decades later.
Young adults who took part in a Pennsylvania preschool programme that added structured lessons in social, emotional and language skills reported better wellbeing nearly 20 years later than classmates who received standard Head Start instruction, according to Penn State researchers writing in American Psychologist. Their findings suggest that early lessons in friendship, emotion recognition, problem-solving and language can have effects that reach well beyond the classroom. The study points to gains in depression symptoms, loneliness, empathy and life satisfaction, alongside a broader picture of stronger adult adjustment.
The programme, known as Research Based, Developmentally Informed, or REDI, was developed at Penn State in the early 2000s and delivered in Head Start settings across three Pennsylvania counties. Head Start, created by the federal government in the 1960s, was designed to help children from lower-income families enter school with the skills needed for early success. Penn State said the new findings build on a large body of evidence showing that early education can improve school readiness, but add a further layer: benefits that appear to extend into adulthood.
According to the research team, REDI participants received two targeted lessons each week and their teachers were trained to reinforce those skills during everyday classroom conflicts. The lessons covered sharing and turn-taking, recognising feelings, staying calm when upset and building vocabulary and early reading skills so that children could use language to support social and emotional development. Previous Penn State work found that the same children showed better behaviour and peer relationships through elementary school and high school.
In the follow-up study, researchers surveyed 356 young adults aged 21 or 22 who had attended one of 44 Head Start programmes. Of that group, 164 had been in standard Head Start classrooms and 192 had been in classrooms using REDI. The adults were asked about 11 aspects of wellbeing and social adjustment. Those who had received REDI were less likely to report depressive symptoms, loneliness and conduct problems, and they were more likely to say they felt empathy, emotional support, healthy days and life satisfaction. There were no clear differences in hyperactivity, emotional problems, sociability or feelings of security and belonging.
Damon Jones, a research professor at Penn State’s Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Centre, said the effect was meaningful in practical terms, with REDI participants reporting almost two extra healthy days a month on average. Karen Bierman, the study’s lead author, said the results reinforce the importance of social and emotional learning in early childhood and show that the benefits can endure despite the many different paths children’s lives may take. Janet Welsh, another co-author, noted that difficult childhood experiences such as family instability still had a lasting negative effect on adult wellbeing, regardless of whether children had taken part in REDI, underscoring the limits of education alone and the continued need to protect children from harm.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
