A cluster randomized controlled trial of the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum

Abstract

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the efficacy of the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies curriculum (PATHS; Kusche & Greenberg, 1994) as a means to improve children's social–emotional competence (assessed via the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS); Gresham & Elliot, 2008) and mental health outcomes (assessed via the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); Goodman, 1997). Forty-five schools in Greater Manchester, England, were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Allocation was balanced by proportions of children eligible for free school meals and speaking English as an additional language via minimization. Children (N = 4516) aged 7–9 years at baseline in the participating schools were the target cohort. During the two-year trial period, teachers of this cohort in schools allocated to the intervention group delivered the PATHS curriculum, while their counterparts in the control group continued their usual provision. Teachers in PATHS schools received initial training and on-going support and assistance from trained coaches. Hierarchical linear modeling of outcome data was undertaken to identify both primary (e.g., for all children) and secondary (e.g., for children classified as “at-risk”) intervention effects. A primary effect of the PATHS curriculum was found, demonstrating increases in teacher ratings of changes in children's social–emotional competence. Additionally, secondary effects of PATHS were identified, showing reductions in teacher ratings of emotional symptoms and increases in pro-social behavior and child ratings of engagement among children identified as at-risk at baseline. However, our analyses also identified primary effects favoring the usual provision group, showing reductions in teacher ratings of peer problems and emotional symptoms, and secondary effects demonstrating reductions in teacher ratings of conduct problems and child ratings of co-operation among at-risk children. Effect sizes were small in all cases. These mixed findings suggest that social and emotional learning interventions such as PATHS may not be as efficacious when implemented outside their country of origin and evaluated in independent trials.

Cost-Effectiveness of a School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Intervention: Evidence from a Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial of the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies Curriculum

“…Numerous randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have consistently established small-to-moderate effects on a range of outcomes, including children's social and emotional skills, externalising problems (e.g. aggressive behaviour) and academic attainment [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. However, many trials finding positive effects of PATHS have involved or been led by the developer.…”

Social and emotional competence as key element to improve healthy lifestyles in children: A randomized controlled trial

“…In contrast, social and emotional learning programmes have been mostly delivered by teachers in schools and evaluated by large‐scale studies (Durlak et al, ; Durlak, Weissberg, & Pachan, ; Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, ; Humphrey, ). Nevertheless, the lack of an appropriate and rigorous implementation and evaluation makes the application of such initiatives in other contexts difficult (Pérez‐González, , ; Humphrey et al, ). Despite research growing in this area, more studies are needed to identify their feasibility and acceptability (Lendrum & Wigelsworth, ).…”

“…Nevertheless, the lack of an appropriate and rigorous implementation and evaluation makes the application of such initiatives in other contexts difficult (Pérez-González, 2008, 2015Humphrey et al, 2016).…”

Harmonizing Social Emotional Learning for Students with Special Needs

“…Through PATHS, students practice and apply how to identify and describe a wide range of feelings, calm themselves through breathing techniques, and take others' perspectives to solve problems (Weissberg & O'Brien, 2004). In a study researched by Humphrey et al (2016), after implementing PATHS for a two-year process in two elementary aged focus groups, there was a significant increase in teachers' perceptions of change in student's social-emotional competence and pro-social behavior, and there was a decrease in emotional symptoms and conduct problems. This study indicates that PATHS benefits emotional competence in students; though it might be a slower process, due to it only being implemented in the classroom.…”

“…Many previous studies regarding the two SEL studies, PATHS and The Zones of Regulations, indicated that the inclusion of these programs benefit emotional competence and self-regulation behaviors in students with ID (Humphrey at al., 2016;Kuypers, 2011). The combined SEL programs highlighted the main points of each program that would best benefit the students in this study.…”