Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) and Elementary School Aged Children's Aggression: Results from a Cluster Randomized Trial

Abstract

This study reports on aggressive outcomes from a cluster randomized trial of the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum. Fourteen elementary schools were randomly assigned to intervention or control condition and third grade students were followed through the fifth grade. Teacher and self-reports of student aggression, conduct problems, delinquency, acting out problems, and social information processing (SIP) variables were collected. Linear change for each of the SIP variables was noted with control students demonstrating increased normative beliefs about aggression, increased aggressive social problem solving, increased hostile attribution bias, and increased aggressive interpersonal negotiation strategies over time while PATHS students remained relatively stable. Teachers reported significant curvilinear change in student aggression, conduct problems, and acting out behavior problems; all favoring PATHS students.

Effects of a Universal Positive Classroom Behavior Program on Student Learning

“…Although we are unable to determine which of these (or other) potential explanations are accurate, it is important to note that studies of universal interventions targeting social skills, behavior, or emotional functioning—even those featuring the most rigorous research designs such as randomized controlled trials (e.g., Cappella et al., , Crean & Johnson, )—often rely exclusively on teacher, student, or parent report of student behavior outcomes. As such, future studies should incorporate observation protocols that more broadly sample student behavior across the school day (and over time) to see if they yield data that are consistent with outcomes measured by behavior rating scales.…”

Preventing Internalizing Problems in Young Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Feelings and Friends (Year 3) Program with a Motor Skills Component

“…These findings align with research on an Aussie Optimism program for 9–10 year olds, which found a reduction in externalizing symptoms maintained at 30-month follow-up (Rooney et al, 2013). Trials of the PATHS program, which targets externalizing symptoms, have shown reductions in child-reported aggression (Crean and Johnson, 2013) and in teacher-reported externalizing symptoms (Kam et al, 2004). Considering the labor intensive implementation required for PATHS, the findings of the current research are promising for participation in the comparatively less labor intensive FFY3, for a significant reduction in externalizing symptoms and conduct problems.…”

“…Empirical research on the efficacy of programs developed to enhance social-emotional competence (e.g., Kusche and Greenberg, 1994; Bernard, 2004) has shown reductions in child-reported aggression and depressive symptoms ( d = 0.49) and reductions in teacher-reported internalizing ( d = 0.22) and externalizing behaviors ( d = 0.18). There have also been significant positive effects on social-emotional competence (η 2 = 0.22), social skills (η 2 = 0.32), and wellbeing (η 2 = 0.16) and reported increases in child and teacher reported resilience and affective vocabulary ( d = 0.54) (Kam et al, 2004; Ashdown and Bernard, 2012; Crean and Johnson, 2013). Some of these programs are limited by their delivery over an extended period (e.g., Kusche and Greenberg, 1994), and some research has relied on a clinical population to demonstrate efficacy (e.g., Bernard, 2004) or was conducted in one school (e.g., Ashdown and Bernard, 2012) limiting the generalizability of findings.…”

A conceptual framework for preventing aggression in elementary schools

“…The intervention includes a 2‐ to 3‐day teacher workshop, 131 20‐ to 30‐min classroom lessons by teachers, and frequent consultation with program staff. Effectiveness studies have found improvement in ER‐related outcomes (Greenberg, Kusché, Cook, & Quamma, ; Riggs, Greenberg, Kusché, & Pentz, ), especially among deaf students (Greenberg & Kusché, ); some improvement in SIP skills (Crean & Johnson, ; Greenberg & Kusché, ); and mixed results with regard to externalizing problems (Crean & Johnson, ; Greenberg & Kusché, ; Kam, Greenberg, & Kusché, ; Riggs et al, ).…”