Developmental stages in social and emotional growth

Social and emotional development begins before birth and continues throughout childhood. Prenatal health, family experiences, relationships, and the environment surrounding a child can all contribute to development.

PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

Research has found associations between psychological distress during pregnancy and later social-emotional outcomes in children. A meta-analysis of 74 studies involving more than 321,000 mother-child pairs found that prenatal psychological distress was associated with differences in children’s social-emotional development. However, these findings show an association rather than proof that prenatal stress directly causes later difficulties. Development is influenced by many biological, environmental, and social factors.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

After birth, children’s relationships with caregivers become especially important. Consistent, responsive, and supportive interactions can help children develop emotional security, communication skills, and the ability to interact with others.

Children benefit from experiences such as:

• Talking and listening with caregivers
• Reading and singing together
• Playing with others
• Receiving comfort when upset
• Having predictable routines
• Learning how to identify emotions
• Receiving consistent and supportive responses from adults

IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS

Teachers cannot change a child’s prenatal history or previous experiences. However, educators can provide a safe and supportive classroom environment.

Teachers can:

• Build positive relationships with students.
• Maintain predictable classroom routines.
• Teach children how to identify and express emotions.
• Model healthy emotional behavior.
• Provide opportunities for cooperation and problem-solving.
• Respond to challenging behavior with appropriate support.
• Recognize that children develop at different rates.

A supportive classroom can provide children with additional opportunities to practice social and emotional skills.

Source: Phua et al. (2023).