Universal Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Strength and Risk Screening: Relative Predictive Validity for Students’ Subjective Well-Being in Schools

Abstract

The national social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) screening in South Korean schools focuses on identifying and intervening with students at risk for SEB concerns, with little attention paid to students’ SEB strength. This study aimed to examine (a) the technical adequacy of the Social Emotional Health Survey—Primary (SEHS-P), Youth Internalizing Problem Screener (YIPS), and Youth Externalizing Problem Screener (YEPS), (b) the relations of the YIPS and YEPS to students’ subjective well-being (SWB) in schools, and (c) the incremental predictive utility of the SEHS-P for students’ SWB in schools. Confirmatory factor and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted using a sample of 790 fourth–sixth grade students in South Korea. Results supported the factor structures and reliability of the screeners and indicated that the SEHS-P explained significant additional variance in school-specific SWB beyond that accounted for by the YIPS and YEPS. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Impact Statement

This study adds empirical support to international research on dual-factor models, suggesting the need to attend to both SEB strength and risk to promote well-being among youth. Results support the inclusion of a SEB strength screener in the current deficit-oriented screening in South Korea to gather more well-rounded data to inform prevention and intervention efforts.

Keywords:

• emotional behavioral,
• strength,
• risk,
• subjective well-being,
• Korean youth

DISCLOSURE

This study had no relevant financial or nonfinancial competing interests to report.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eui Kyung Kim

Eui Kyung Kim, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Riverside. Her research interests focus on school mental health, with an emphasis on universal screening to identify youth resilience and risk factors, early identification and prevention to promote resilience, and multicultural school psychology.

Danbi Choe

Danbi Choe, MEd, is a doctoral candidate in School Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on understanding risk and protective factors related to school adjustment of children and adolescents, with a key theme on culturally responsive approach.