Using Social‐Emotional and Character Development to Improve Academic Outcomes: A Matched‐Pair, Cluster‐Randomized Controlled Trial in Low‐Income, Urban Schools

Abstract

BACKGROUND School-based social-emotional and character development (SECD) programs can influence not only SECD, but also academic-related outcomes. This study evaluated the impact of one SECD program, Positive Action (PA), on educational outcomes among low-income, urban youth. METHODS The longitudinal study used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled design. Student-reported disaffection with learning and academic grades, and teacher ratings of academic ability and motivation were assessed for a cohort followed from grades 3 to 8. Aggregate school records were used to assess standardized test performance (for entire school, cohort, and demographic subgroups) and absenteeism (entire school). Multilevel growth-curve analyses tested program effects. RESULTS PA significantly improved growth in academic motivation and mitigated disaffection with learning. There was a positive impact of PA on absenteeism and marginally significant impact on math performance of all students. There were favorable program effects on reading for African American boys and cohort students transitioning between grades 7 and 8, and on math for girls and low-income students. CONCLUSIONS A school-based SECD program was found to influence academic outcomes among students living in low-income, urban communities. Future research should examine mechanisms by which changes in SECD influence changes in academic outcomes.

Effects of thePositive ActionProgram on Indicators of Positive Youth Development Among Urban Youth

“…The PA intervention has been previously shown to prevent several negative adolescent outcomes in other settings such as Hawai'i (Beets et al, 2009) as well as this setting (Lewis et al, 2012; Lewis, Schure, et al, 2013). In addition, the PA intervention has been shown to have effects on academics (Bavarian et al, 2013) and emotional health (Lewis, DuBois, et al, 2013). Considered together with these findings, those of the current study thus raise the possibility that preventive benefits of PA may be attributable at least in part to enhancement of PYD-related strengths among students.…”

“…Quasi-experimental and experimental evaluations, including the evaluation from which data for the present study are taken, have indicated favorable effects of PA on a range of student academic, behavioral, and emotional outcomes, including academic achievement (Bavarian et al, 2013; Flay et al, 2001; Snyder et al, 2010), motivation and attitudes toward learning (Bavarian et al, 2013), absenteeism (Bavarian et al, 2013; Flay & Allred, 2010; Snyder et al, 2010), disciplinary referrals and suspensions (Flay et al, 2001; Lewis, Schure, et al, 2013; Snyder et al, 2010), bullying, disruptive, and other problem behaviors (Beets et al, 2009; Flay et al, 2001; Lewis, Schure, et al, 2013; Li et al, 2011), and emotional health (Lewis, DuBois, et al, 2013). Findings also have supported favorable effects of PA on school environment and school quality (Snyder, Vuchinich, Acock, Washburn, & Flay, 2012).…”

A meta-analytic study investigating the efficiency of socio-emotional learning programs on the development of children and adolescents

“…As in the previous metaanalysis concerning school-based SEL programs (Durlak et al, 2011), the effect size was statistically significant but small (g = .31). Scientific literature suggests that SEL programs can reduce both internalizing and externalizing problems in youth by enhancing them with social and emotional skills (Greenberg et al, 2003;Lewis et al, 2013;Schonert-Reichl et al, 2015;Coelho et al, 2015). The results from this meta-analysis support only partially the previous findings.…”

“…Also, other studies reported an increase in social and emotional competencies (Bierman, Nix, Greenberg, Blair, & Domitrovich, 2008;Caldarella, Christensen, Kramer, & Kronmiller, 2009;Castillo, Salguero, Fernandez-Berrocal, & Balluerka, 2013;Pendry, Carr, Smith, & Roeter, 2014). Moreover, social and emotional learning programs have shown positive results in increasing academic performance in youth (Bradley, Galvin, Atkinson, & Tomasino, 2012;Bavarian et al, 2013).…”

“…Studies have shown that programs using SEL framework provided positive outcomes in children and adolescents. Regarding mental health problems, SEL programs proved efficient in reducing depression (Lewis et al, 2013;Schonert-Reichl et al, 2015), general anxiety (Bavarian et al, 2013), social anxiety (Coelho, Marchante, & Sousa, 2015) and other emotional problems (Humphrey, Kalambouka, Wigelsworth, & Lendrum, 2010;Muratori et al, 2015). Also, other studies reported an increase in social and emotional competencies (Bierman, Nix, Greenberg, Blair, & Domitrovich, 2008;Caldarella, Christensen, Kramer, & Kronmiller, 2009;Castillo, Salguero, Fernandez-Berrocal, & Balluerka, 2013;Pendry, Carr, Smith, & Roeter, 2014).…”