Measuring social-emotional development in middle childhood: The Middle Years Development Instrument

This paper discusses the conceptualization, development, validation, and application of the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI) – a population-based child self-report tool that assesses children's social-emotional development and well-being in the context of their home, school, and neighborhood. The MDI is administered at a population-level to 4th and 7th grade students within participating public school districts across British Columbia, Canada. Children respond to items in five domains: (1) social-emotional development, (2) connectedness to peers and adults, (3) school experiences, (4) physical health and well-being, and (5) constructive use of after-school time. Results are aggregated for schools and communities and reported back in comprehensive reports and community maps to inform planning and decision making at local and regional levels. Shared testimonials exemplify how MDI results have been used by educators, community organizers, and city planners as a catalyst for promoting children's social and emotional competence and facilitating collaboration between schools and communities. • The MDI is a child self-report survey assessing social-emotional competencies. • Five domains are measured relevant to middle childhood. • Data are collected at a population-level. • Reporting and knowledge brokering activities increase utility of the results.