Social Competence as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

Social competence is defined in terms of interpersonal relationships, self and group identities, and development of citizenship. While the focus of the author's previous research is on relationship and identity, the main focus of this paper is on the development of citizenship. A 4-stage developmental model of citizenship is proposed. A brief discussion of the educational implication of each of the stages is presented. The issues concerning the assessment of social competence are clearly delineated, and the discussion serves as a basis for future studies. Finally, five current issues concerning the launch of the “Moral and National Education (MNE) Subject” in Hong Kong primary and secondary schools are discussed.