Typical R2Child values with sociodemographic and baseline covariates were around 0.18–0.26 for preschool cognitive and SEL outcomes in US data¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r? · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2030: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Applying covariate sets of sociodemographic characteristics plus a baseline measure, typical values for cognitive outcomes were Mdn R2Child = 0.24/0.21 (standardized tests/parent reports) and for SEL outcomes Mdn R2Child = 0.26/0.18 (teacher/parent reports) in the available US studies. → Martin Brunner 2025

Evidence¶

Martin Brunner 2025¶

Martin Brunner, Sophie E. Stallasch, Cordula Artelt, Oliver Lüdtke. (2025). An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis to Support Power Analyses for Randomized Intervention Studies in Preschool: Cognitive and Socio-Emotional Learning Outcomes. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09981-z

q2 · i? · quant-synthesis · r?

The article's review of prior multilevel design-parameter research reports these median R2Child values for US preschool samples, with most estimates using sociodemographic characteristics plus a baseline measure. No R2Group estimates were available in those studies.

"Applying these covariates, typical values for cognitive outcomes were Mdn R2 Child = 0.24/0.21 when using standardized tests/parent reports, and Mdn R 2 Child = 0.26/0.18 for SEL outcomes when using teacher/parent reports."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Between-center differences in preschool cognitive and SEL outcomes were mostly small in the United States but more pronounced in Germany and the United Kingdom — related
• The study estimated 237 single-level, 589 two-level, and 226 three-level design parameters from German preschool probability samples — related
• Domain-identical pretests are the most powerful single-level covariate type for student achievement, outperforming cross-domain pretests, fluid intelligence, and sociodemographic characteristics — related
• Sociodemographic covariates outweigh domain-identical pretests for predicting between-classroom and between-school variance in elementary school — related
• Covariates explaining substantial outcome variance efficiently decrease the MDES and reduce required sample size in randomized experiments — a broader claim this one bears on
• Randomization does not ensure baseline equivalence in small-sample motor learning studies, so unbalanced pre-tests can overstate random-practice benefits — related