Sample A: Cover Page of Thesis, Project, or Dissertation Proposal

literacy skills. Further, first-grade prosocial behavior positively predicted third-grade
literacy skills, which in turn predicted fifth-grade literacy skills. Whereas shorter-term
links between prosocial behaviors and literacy skills were clearly evident, longer-term
linkages were not. The effect of first-grade prosocial behavior on third-grade literacy
skills mediated the effect of first-grade prosocial behavior on fifth-grade literacy skills,
thus suggesting that children‘s prosocial and literacy skills are stable from the first to fifth
grades rather than directly related over time (Miles & Stipek, 2006). Although there were
no direct relations between early prosocial behavior and later literacy skills in the socio-
economically disadvantaged sample, direct long-term effects have been demonstrated in
samples of varied socio-economic status. Caprara et al. (2000) found that after controlling
for early academic achievement, self-, peer-, and teacher-rated third-grade prosocial
behavior positively predicted eighth-grade academic achievement, accounting for 32% of
the variance in the model.
In sum, previous research supports social-emotional skills mastery as a crucial
developmental achievement for preschool-aged children from families facing socio-
economic hardships. Children‘s peer relations are related to the quality and level of
engagement in classroom activities (Coolahan et al., 2000); and children‘s language
abilities, in particular, play significant roles in social-emotional competence and
academic success (Mendez et al., 2002).
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