Building an Assessment of Community-Defined Social-Emotional Competencies from the Ground up in Tanzania

Two studies were conducted in 2017 to investigate children's competencies seen as important by communities in Mtwara, Tanzania. Qualitative data from 95 parents (34 women) and 27 teachers (11 women) in Study 1 indicated that dimensions of social responsibility, such as "obedience," were valued highly. In Study 2, the competencies of 477 children (245 girls), aged 4-13 years, were rated by teachers and parents. Factor analysis found the "obedient" factor explained the most variance in parent rating. In line with predictions, urban residence, parental socioeconomic status (SES), and parental education were all positively associated with ratings of "curiosity," and parental SES was negatively associated with obedience and emotional "regulation." Findings illustrate the need for culturally specific frameworks of social-emotional learning.