Adriano Linzarini (Lead Analyst, Rethinking Assessment of Social and Emotional Skills project, OECD) presents at the OECD webinar 'Social and Emotional Learning – does it make a difference in children’s lives?' on 17 January 2024

1. RETHINKING ASSESSMENT OF
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS
Adriano Linzarini
OECD WEBINAR – 15 January 2024

2. Support SEL development and implementation
by
1. Exploring the potential of new measurement
approaches
2. Designing, piloting and validating a more
direct assessment of SES
2
OECD’s work for innovative assessment
of Social and Emotional Skills

3. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews of interventions demonstrate that SES
are teachable in school settings across age groups and national
contexts
SES show positive, yet differential, impacts on various life
outcomes, such as mental health, academic success and job performance
For some skills, evidence and/or research is scarce
The publication includes valuable textboxes showcasing effective
school-based interventions
3
What does the research tell us?
What kind of evidence do we have?
How/Why are Social and Emotional Skills
important?
Can Social and Emotional Skills be taught?

4. 4
Social and emotional skills are important predictors of
key life outcomes
Type of outcomes Self-control Self-efficacy Emotional
intelligence
Social
problem-
solving
Empathy Assertiveness Co-
operation
Teachability Teachability ++++ ++++ +++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++
Academic
Academic
performance ++++ ++++ ++++
Academic attainment ++ 0 0
Labour
market
Employment +++ +++
Earnings ++ ++++ ++
Job performance +++ ++ ++ +++ ++
Subjective outcomes ++ +++ ++++
Quality of life
Life satisfaction + ++ +++ ++ ++ ++
Health ++ +++ +++ ++++
Societal
Civic engagement ++++
Prevention of
antisocial behaviour ++++ ++ ++++ ++
Very high (++++) to Limited (+) = Over 7 to 1 primary studies showing a positive relationship; Null (0) = most studies indicating null findings ;
Empty cell = mixed findings – similar number of articles showing diverging relationships, or no articles identified.

5. • We need robust, valid, comparable assessments to monitor socio-
emotional development and improve teaching practices and SEL
interventions
5
Assessing social and emotional skills is important

6. 6
Principal challenges faced by implementers of SEL
programmes
Note: 34 respondents rated each challenge as "Not at all important", "Somewhat important", "Important" or
"Very important". The last three categories were summed to produce the figures shown in this graph.
1 Rigid
education policies
Number of programmes
OECD, Philanthropy For Social And Emotional Learning (2023)
2 Inadequate
assessment methods

7. 7
Behavioural
assessments
Report
questionnaires
(indirect assessments)
AI and other
tools
Bio-physiological
markers
Mixed batteries
(combination of
different types)
Assessment
types
Types of assessment of social and emotional skills

8. 8
Criteria for comparing
and analysing
assessments
 Clarity of the skill(s) definition
 Number of skills tested
 Ecological validity / task design
 Target age range
 Costs, licenses and feasibility
 Reliability and validity metrics
 Adaptability across cultures
Upcoming OECD publication

9. 9
Team and publication
Noémie Le Donné – Senior Project Manager
(Noemie.Ledonne@oecd.org)
Adriano Linzarini – Lead Analyst
(Adriano.Linzarini@oecd.org)
Daniel Catarino da Silva – Junior Analyst
(Daniel.catarinodasilva@oecd.org)
For more information, find us on https://oe.cd/526
or contact Rethinking.SES@oecd.org