This article, published in the International Journal of Educational Development, provides evidence of the role pre-school plays in the development of social-emotional competencies. The authors used data from the Young Lives longitudinal study in Peru to test the relationship between attendance to pre-school education with agency and pride at ages 8, 12, and 15, and self-efficacy and self-esteem at ages 12 and 15. They found that attendance to pre-school is related to higher socio-emotional ability, specifically higher scores on indicators of agency and pride. For those that start early (at 3 or 4 years), the relationship with agency persists up to the age of 15 years.

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