Robert Wood Johnson Foundation [to 18 July 2015]
http://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/news-releases.html

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New Research: Children With Strong Social Skills in Kindergarten More Likely to Thrive as Adults
20-year study links early skills to future outcomes in education, employment and criminal justice.
July 16, 2015
Princeton, N.J.—A new 20-year study shows a link between children’s social skills in kindergarten and their well-being in early adulthood, according to the findings published today in the American Journal of Public Health.

Children who were more likely to “share” or “be helpful” in kindergarten were also more likely to obtain higher education and hold full-time jobs nearly two decades later, the study found. Students who lacked these “social competence” skills were more likely to face more negative outcomes by the age of 25, including substance abuse problems, challenges finding employment or run-ins with the law.

“This study shows that helping children develop social and emotional skills is one of the most important things we can do to prepare them for a healthy future,” said Kristin Schubert, program director at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which funded the research. “From an early age, these skills can determine whether a child goes to college or prison, and whether they end up employed or addicted.”…