Evaluating social–emotional skills among Arabic-speaking students: A multi-informant study of students, parents and teachers

Background: Social–emotional (SEL) skills play a crucial role in promoting children's academic performance and mental health. However, the use of self-reported questionnaires may reveal discrepancies between students' self-assessments and adults. Aims: This study investigated potential differences in the perceptions of SEL skills in Arabic and their relation to academic achievements. Sample and Method: Arabic-speaking students, their parents and teachers across third, fifth, seventh and ninth grades using a 33-item questionnaire. Results: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant discrepancies between groups (parents>students>teachers), regardless of grade level. Moreover, correlations between self-reports and students' academic scores were stronger for teachers compared to the others. Interestingly, these correlations decreased across groups until the ninth grade, at which point only teachers maintained significant correlations. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis further demonstrated that only teachers' self-reports significantly predicted students' academic scores regardless of grade level. Conclusion: The results are discussed in relation to theoretical and pedagogical implications, as well as previous findings, emphasizing the need for a standardized multi-informant questionnaire.