ERIC Number: EJ1167885
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Sep
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1045-3830
EISSN: N/A
Cluster-Randomized Trial Demonstrating Impact on Academic Achievement of Elementary Social-Emotional Learning
Schonfeld, David J.; Adams, Ryan E.; Fredstrom, Bridget K.; Weissberg, Roger P.; Gilman, Richard; Voyce, Charlene; Tomlin, Ricarda; Speese-Linehan, Dee
School Psychology Quarterly, v30 n3 p406-420 Sep 2015
This study evaluated the results of a social and emotional learning (SEL) program on academic achievement among students attending a large, urban, high-risk school district. Using a cluster-randomized design, 24 elementary schools were assigned to receive either the intervention curriculum ("Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies", or "PATHS") or a curriculum that delivered few if any SEL topics (i.e., the control group). In addition to state mastery test scores, demographic data, school attendance, and dosage information were obtained from 705 students who remained in the same group from the 3rd to the 6th grade. Analyses of odds ratios revealed that students enrolled in the intervention schools demonstrated higher levels of basic proficiency in reading, writing, and math at some grade levels. Although these between-groups differences held for race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status, significant within-group differences also were noted across these variables. Collectively, these findings indicated that social development instruction may be a promising approach to promote acquisition of academic proficiency, especially among youth attending high-risk school settings. Implications of these findings with respect to SEL programs conclude the article.
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Randomized Controlled Trials, Elementary School Students, Social Development, Emotional Development, Urban Schools, At Risk Students, Disadvantaged Schools, Intervention, Control Groups, Experimental Groups, Student Records, Curriculum Enrichment, Curriculum Implementation, Fidelity, Mastery Tests, Cohort Analysis, Maximum Likelihood Statistics, Statistical Analysis
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: RO1HD045362