Non-Cognitive Skills: Advances in Construct Measurement and Development

Non-cognitive skills, often referred to as socioemotional skills, soft skills, or character strengths, are increasingly recognized as critical determinants of success and well-being. These encompass a wide array of attributes such as self-regulation, grit, empathy, creativity, and adaptability. While extensive research has highlighted their importance in educational attainment, career success, mental health, and social integration, traditional conceptualizations and measurement approaches have often treated these skills as relatively static traits. Another issue affecting the research includes evidence highlighting construct overlap among non-cognitive skills including resilience, mental toughness, and self-efficacy.

This Research Topic aims to advance our understanding of non-cognitive skills by adopting a dynamic, longitudinal perspective. We seek to move beyond cross-sectional analyses to explore how these skills influence performance broadly (e.g., well-being, educational performance, mental health, leadership, work performance). Another central focus includes the measurement of non-cognitive skills, investigating underpinning measurement instruments alongside construct distinctiveness.

This Research Topic invites original research, reviews, methods articles, and theoretical perspectives that address, but are not limited to, the following key areas:

o Longitudinal Assessment of Non-Cognitive Skills: Studies examining relationships of specific non-cognitive skills (e.g., self-efficacy, empathy, creativity) across time, in relation to performance outcomes (e.g., well-being, educational performance, occupational functioning, mental health).

o Measurement of Non-Cognitive Skills: Development and validation of measures of non-cognitive skills. This could include:

- Behavioral assessments and performance-based tasks;
- Physiological indicators (e.g., heart rate variability, neurological markers) related to emotional regulation or attention;
- Psychometric models.

o Individual Differences and Diversity: Research examining non-cognitive skills and affiliated measures across different populations (e.g., age groups, cultural groups, clinical populations, individuals with diverse learning needs) and the implications for assessment and intervention.

o Measurement Challenges and Solutions: Articles proposing solutions to common challenges in non-cognitive skill measurement, such as response biases, cross-cultural comparability, and developmental appropriateness.

o Theoretical Advancements: New theoretical frameworks or conceptual models that offer a dynamic perspective on non-cognitive skills, integrating insights from psychology, organizational psychology, neuroscience, and education.

By bringing together cutting-edge research from diverse fields, this Research Topic aims to generate a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic nature of non-cognitive skills, contributing significantly to their more precise conceptualization, effective measurement, and successful cultivation for individual and societal benefit.

Submission Types Welcome:

o Original Research: Empirical studies presenting new findings.
o Reviews: Comprehensive literature reviews, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
o Mini Reviews: Concise summaries of specific research areas.
o Methods: Papers detailing novel methodologies, measurement instruments, or analytical approaches.
o Brief Research Reports: Short, concise empirical studies with focused findings.
o Perspective: Opinion pieces offering new theoretical insights or critical appraisals.
o Conceptual Analysis: Papers developing new conceptual frameworks or critically analysing existing ones.

Topic Coordinator Dr. Laura Johnson is employed by SIGMA Assessment Systems. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Non-cognitive skills, Socioemotional Skills, Longitudinal Studies, Psychometrics, Self-efficacy, Well-being, Resilience, Construct Measurement

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.