ERIC Number: EJ1014573
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Sep
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0007-0998
EISSN: N/A
Strengthening Socio-Emotional Competencies in a School Setting: Data from the Pyramid Project
Ohl, Madeleine; Fox, Pauline; Mitchell, Kathryn
British Journal of Educational Psychology, v83 n3 p452-466 Sep 2013
Background: Development of socio-emotional competencies is key to children's successful social interaction at home and at school. Aims: This study examines the efficacy of a UK primary school-based intervention, the Pyramid project, in strengthening children's socio-emotional competencies. Sample: Participants were 385 children from seven schools in two UK cities. All children were aged 7-8 years and in school Year 3. Children were screened for socio-emotional difficulties through the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, 1997) and a multi-agency meeting of relevant professionals before being allocated to attend a Pyramid Club intervention ("n" = 103) or a comparison group ("n" = 282). Method: A 2 x 2 mixed-model design was used: group (intervention group vs. comparison group) x 2 time points (pre- vs. 12 weeks post-intervention) with repeated measures on the time factor to investigate the impact of the Pyramid Year 3 intervention. Teachers completed the SDQ-T4-16 for all children pre- and post-intervention to measure participants' socio-emotional health status. Results: As measured by the two SDQ difficulty sub-scales of Emotional and Peer problems and the SDQ strength sub-scale of Prosocial behaviour, post-intervention improvements in the Pyramid attendee group were of greater magnitude than those of the comparison group. Conclusions: The Pyramid project intervention improves the socio-emotional health of vulnerable children through promoting positive outcomes as well as reducing socio-emotional deficits. These findings further support the inclusion of a salutogenic approach in promoting children's socio-emotional well-being. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Social Development, Emotional Development, Interpersonal Competence, Foreign Countries, Intervention, Program Effectiveness, Elementary School Students, Teacher Attitudes, Peer Relationship, Emotional Problems, Well Being, Interaction, Social Behavior, Comparative Analysis, Health Promotion, Clubs, After School Programs
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A