Soft skills matter: The key to academic success

Genetic factors are a significant factor in the increasing influence of these skills throughout a child's education. The research, which was conducted in conjunction with an international team of experts, indicates that the development of non-cognitive skills in conjunction with cognitive abilities has the potential to significantly enhance educational outcomes.

"Our research challenges the long-held assumption that intelligence is the primary driver of academic achievement," says Dr Malanchini, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Queen Mary University of London. "We've found compelling evidence that non-cognitive skills -- such as grit, perseverance, academic interest, and value attributed to learning -- are not only significant predictors of success but that their influence grows stronger over time."

A combination of twin studies and DNA-based analyses was employed in the study, which followed over 10,000 children from the ages of 7 to 16 in England and Wales, to investigate the intricate relationship between academic performance, genes, and environment.

The significance of non-cognitive genetics

One of the most remarkable discoveries is the growing influence of genetics on academic achievement and the development of non-cognitive skills. An "polygenic score" for non-cognitive skills was developed by researchers through DNA analysis, which is essentially a genetic snapshot of a child's predisposition towards these skills.

"We discovered that genetic effects associated with non-cognitive skills become increasingly predictive of academic achievement over the school years, in fact their effect nearly doubles between the ages of 7 and 16" explained Dr Allegrini, Research Fellow at University College London. "By the end of compulsory education, genetic dispositions towards non-cognitive skills were equally as important as those related to cognitive abilities in predicting academic success."

This discovery challenges the conventional perspective that educational success is primarily determined by intelligence. Rather, the research posits that the educational journey of a child is significantly impacted by the emotional and behavioural makeup of the child, which is influenced by both genes and environment.

The influence of the environment

Although genetics undoubtedly contributes to non-cognitive skills, the study also underscores the significance of the environment. Researchers were able to distinguish the influence of genetic factors from the shared family environment by comparing siblings.

"We found that while family-wide processes play a significant role, the increasing influence of non-cognitive genetics on academic achievement remained evident even within families," according to Dr Allegrini. "This suggests that children may actively shape their own learning experiences based on their personality, dispositions, and abilities, creating a feedback loop that reinforces their strengths."

Implications for education

The results of this investigation have significant implications for the field of education. Schools can develop targeted interventions to support students' emotional and social development in conjunction with their academic learning by acknowledging the critical role of non-cognitive skills.

"Our education system has traditionally focused on cognitive development," said Dr Malanchini. "It's time to rebalance that focus and give equal importance to nurturing non-cognitive skills. By doing so, we can create a more inclusive and effective learning environment for all students."

The study also underscores the necessity of additional research into the intricate relationship between education, environment, and genes. Educators and policymakers can create more effective strategies to support students' overall development and achieve better educational outcomes by comprehending these factors.

Dr Malanchini concluded, "This study is just the beginning. We hope it will inspire further research and lead to a transformation in how we approach education."

The research was a collaborative endeavour that involved researchers from a variety of institutions in six countries, including the University of Bologna, Royal Holloway, University of London, University of Oslo, University of York, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Institute for Behavioural Genetics, The Max Planck Institute for Human Development, The University of Texas at Austin, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, and Queen Mary University of London. The Medical Research Council (MRC) of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) provided funding for the research.

Reference: Andrea G. Allegrini, Michel G. Nivard, Pietro Biroli, Kaili Rimfeld, Rosa Cheesman, Sophie von Stumm, Perline A. Demange, Elsje van Bergen, Andrew D. Grotzinger, Laurel Raffington, Javier De la Fuente, Jean-Baptiste Pingault, Elliot M. Tucker-Drob, K. Paige Harden, Robert Plomin. Genetic associations between non-cognitive skills and academic achievement over development. Nature Human Behaviour, 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01967-9