Open Access

ARTICLE

Network analysis of Chinese and Finnish students’ social-emotional skills: A cross-cultural comparative study

Shuai Zhang¹, Wenxi Wu², Jiheng Wu³, Ge Chen⁴, Rui Zhao¹, Binyan Xu^1,*

1 School of Mathematical Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
2 School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
3 Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment For Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
4 School of Physics and Electronic Information, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China

* Corresponding Author: Binyan Xu. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2026, 36(4), 575-587. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.076330

Received 18 November 2025; Accepted 18 May 2026; Issue published 31 August 2026

Abstract

Social-emotional skills (SES) are foundational to academic success and well-being, yet limited research has examined how these skills are structurally organized as an interconnected system across cultural contexts. Drawing on data from the 2023 OECD Survey on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES; 48.97% females, mean age = 13.09, SD = 2.21 years). Results from Gaussian Graphical Models (GGM) identify optimism and curiosity as universal hub nodes across both cultural contexts. Culturally, the Chinese SES network exhibits higher connectivity and integration, with the Emotional Regulation domain serving as a primary organizational anchor. In contrast, the Finnish network displays a more differentiated structure, with the Engaging with Others domain showing stronger central connectivity. Developmentally, the transition from children (age 10) to adolescence (age 15) is associated with significant network consolidation, as indicated by increased global strength in both contexts. Gender differences are reflected in distinct centrality patterns: male students prioritize Stress Resistance and Emotional Control as key nodes, while female students show stronger integration between Collaboration and Task Performance domains. Socioeconomic status (SESs) was associated with culturally contingent centrality patterns. Low-SESs Chinese students’ networks were more strongly anchored by Emotional Regulation and Task Performance facets, whereas low-SESs Finnish students showed higher centrality in Open-Mindedness facets. Consistent with Stage-Environment Fit theory, these findings indicate how cultural context, developmental stage, gender, and socioeconomic resources shape the structural organization of SES, providing theoretical insights for culturally responsive social-emotional education.

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Keywords

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