Abstract
Socio-emotional skills are critical for successful outcomes in school readiness and adjustment, and yet current research in early education focuses on academic skills of math, language, and literacy to measure school success. Albeit limited, extant literature suggests that socio-emotional qualities such as curiosity, the ability to relate to peers, and self-regulation are foundational to healthy schooling outcomes. Because these skills develop in the multilayered context in which children live, the neighborhood environments are critical. In fact, research has shown direct links between neighborhood qualities and aspects of children’s socio-emotional learning. And yet, additional factors that may moderate the ways neighborhoods affect socio-emotional development are parental involvement, prenatal exposure, availability of community-based resources, and collective socialization. In addition, public assistance programs, which have been shown to improve household material conditions and developmental outcomes of young children, may also provide protective effects for socio-emotional outcomes of children, especially those who live in under-resourced neighborhoods. Using data from the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), this study examined associations among neighborhood qualities (i.e., amenities, detractors, safety), and 3 to 8 year old children’s school readiness-related socio-emotional outcomes (i.e., curiosity, peer relationships, and self-regulation). This study also explored the potential moderating role of public cash and nutritional assistance programs in this relationship. Correlation analyses found significant associations between neighborhood variables and socio-emotional learning of children 3 to 8 years. A path model was used to test the moderating role of public assistance in these relations. This model was found not to be a good fit. Nonetheless, these findings have important implications for future research. To advance research on this topic, developmental researchers are encouraged to diversify ways of measuring neighborhood and socio-emotional learning variables and look for constructs beyond those included in this study. Future scholars are also advised to use different methodologies such as observational data and qualitative inquiries to inform research in this direction. Limitations of the current study are discussed.