Development of Socio-Emotional Competence in Primary School Children

This article investigates the subject of development of socio-emotional competence (SEC) in primary school children. Today, much attention is given to children's intellectual development and especially in primary school age when studying is their main activity. However, the social and emotional development of children is no less important, but still there is not much evidence about how it occurs at this age stage. We made research to prove a hypothesis that SEC development in primary school children is a heterochronical process with the general level of socio-emotional competence increasing with age. According to the results obtained, there is no statically significant difference in the overall SEC level between the youngest and oldest participants in the survey. Nevertheless, the level of such SEC components as self-awareness and social skills in the older children is significantly higher, proving that development of socio-emotional competence doesn't proceed evenly by all the SEC components in primary school age. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.