Social and Emotional Variables as Predictors of Students’ Perceived Cognitive Competence and Academic Performance

Research extensively highlights the importance of social-emotional skills in learning and development. In this study, we evaluated whether social and emotional variables directly impact students’ perceived cognitive competence and academic performance through a structural equation model. Survey responses (N = 29,384) were collected from 114 K-12 schools in a large school district in Alberta. Results showed that cognitive competence was directly predicted by social cognition and social competence but indirectly by emotional competence through the mediating effect of social competence. Academic performance was also directly predicted by social cognition. Cognitive competence was positively associated with academic emotions, while academic performance was negatively associated with them. Overall, our findings suggest that learning is a highly social process, and investing in the development of social-emotional skills must be a priority, with a primary focus on creating positive and supportive learning environments. Future research may adjust this model and target more specific social-emotional variables.