Changes in children's well-being and mental health across the early school years: Links with academic and social competence.

Devine, Rory T., Gray, Louise, Edwards, Miryam, Jess, Mikeda, Dempsey, Caoimhe, Heng, Jean, Mehrotra, Mishika, Kyjonkova, Hana, Fink, Elian and Hughes, Claire 2025. Changes in children's well-being and mental health across the early school years: Links with academic and social competence. Developmental Psychology 10.1037/dev0001962

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between children's well-being and mental health in the early years of primary school and the developmental association between well-being and mental health and children's early social and academic skills. Two hundred fifty-two children (131 girls, = 5.40 years, 80% White) and their caregivers (89.8% mothers) from the United Kingdom participated in a 1-year longitudinal study. Children completed measures of well-being, cognitive, and academic skills. Caregivers provided ratings of children's well-being and mental health. Teachers and caregivers rated children's social competence. Measurement models showed that well-being and mental health were distinct constructs at both time points. There were moderate levels of rank-order stability in well-being but declines in average levels of well-being with a corresponding increase in mental health difficulties. Well-being and mental health exhibited differential associations with social competence and academic performance. Initial levels of mental health predicted later academic and social competence, while gains in well-being were associated with academic skills and social competence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Psychology
Publisher:	American Psychological Association
ISSN:	1939-0599
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	1 May 2025
Date of Acceptance:	10 February 2025
Last Modified:	01 May 2025 10:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/177999

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