Evidence that Preschool Influences Social and Emotional Development

Dec. 12, 2011 - PRLog -- Convincing evidence exists that high-quality preschool positively affects social-emotional development.
Across hundreds of studies of immediate and short-term outcomes, impacts of early education on factors
such as self-esteem, motivation, and social behavior are positive, and range from about .25 to .40 of a
standard deviation—a meaningful impact.43 Other studies demonstrate that quality preschool produces
long-term benefits in terms of improved classroom behavior and social adjustment and decreased future
crime and delinquency. These successful programs all deliver high-quality center-based early childhood
education services, but they differ in some ways, too. Some focus on 3- and 4-year-olds only, while others
serve children from birth to 5, and some offer parent education or family support services in addition to
center-based early childhood education.
A small group of studies suggest that too much time in an early childhood program, particularly in a
low-quality setting, may actually increase children’s aggression levels slightly, but the bulk of the positive
evidence for preschool is compelling and derives from a variety of studies, beginning with demonstration
programs that were implemented decades ago and continuing to present-day demonstration programs
and large-scale programs, both in the United States and abroad.
Evidence from Demonstration Projects
Some of the strongest evidence for the benefits that preschool programs can produce on children’s social
and emotional development is derived from demonstration projects begun in the 1960s and 1970s.
The High/Scope Perry Preschool Project. The High/Scope Perry Preschool Project,44 initiated more than
40 years ago, was one of the first studies to provide a clear picture of the effects of early, high-quality
preschool on educational, social, academic, and economic outcomes. Three- and 4-year-olds from
low-income families (n=123) were randomly assigned to either a program or no-program group. Those
in the program group experienced a well-designed preschool program, which included weekly home visits
that encouraged parent-child interaction.
A recently released report of outcomes through age 40 confirms the economic benefits of investing in
the education of young children.45 Throughout their school years, the children from the program group
outperformed the control group on achievement tests, had better attitudes about school, and were more
likely to graduate from high school. As adults, the preschool participants attained higher levels of education
and were more likely to vote in elections, find and maintain employment, and own their own homes,
than children in the control group. The program group also averaged significantly fewer criminal arrests,
including fewer arrests for drug-dealing crimes, and relied less on welfare or other social services as adults.
From an economic standpoint, the program benefited the general economy with a 17 to 1 return on the
original investment. This includes savings in the costs of crime, special education or retention in school,
and welfare, as well as increases in taxes paid by those earning higher incomes.46 Much of that return on
investment is attributable to decreased costs of crime—an outcome clearly linked to social and emotional
development. These data provide convincing evidence that providing more funding for preschool programs
today will result in substantial social and economic gains in the future.

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