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Successful social and emotional learning (SEL) programs have established methods with teacher and peer support that improve prosocial behavior. Research has shown intervention programs that incorporate these skills reduce antisocial behaviors, but implementation in schools may vary and therefore affect outcomes. The purpose of this non-experimental program evaluation study was to understand the perceptions of implementation, impact, acceptability, and effects of Second Step within a suburban elementary classroom in the northeastern United States. The participants were teachers in a suburban elementary school near a large northeastern US city. A questionnaire, observations, interviews, a focus group, and school collected data (e.g., Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) testing) were used to answer the research questions. Participants reported perceptions that Second Step had positive effects on academic performance. PSSA data showed that student academic performance appeared to be minimally affected or unaffected by Second Step. Results from the questionnaire, interviews, and focus group suggest teachers believed Second Step improved student behavior. However, the school did not collect behavioral data (e.g., suspensions, referrals, detentions, etc.) prior to or after Second Step adoption. Limited training and other factors may explain why reported fidelity to the curriculum appeared inconsistent with observational measures. Participant bias may have also influenced interview and focus group data. Despite limitations, schools that adopt Second Step should rely on evaluations to determine whether intended impacts are realized. Also, Second Step and other SEL curriculum researchers should consider providing guidance about implementation, assessment, and cost-benefit analysis. Researchers could investigate systematic changes to lesson content and delivery in ways that allow teachers to adapt or modify instruction without compromising curricular effects. / Special Education

I find the topic, that I have chosen for my dissertation, as a very good benefit for me as a scholmistress and for the children as well. Prosocial behaviour is a very important functional part of the society. The children need accept and give each other various forms of prosocial behaviour. , to grow up as full people. I suppose, that we must implantthe foundations of prosocial behaviour into the children from their birth. There are some foundatious of the human´s living together, which must be accepted by everyone. The main aim of my work is to reawaken and improve the prosocial ways of children´s behaviour.

En maternelle, tous les domaines de développement de l’enfant sont sollicités (moteur, cognitif, langagier, affectif et social). Plus particulièrement, l’enfant développe sa compétence sociale par ses diverses interactions avec les autres. En milieu défavorisé, plusieurs enjeux peuvent entraver le développement de l’enfant et la mise en place de mesures préventives est nécessaire. Les recherches des dernières années suggèrent que l’éducation musicale pourrait soutenir le développement global de l’enfant. L’objectif de cette recherche qualitative était d’explorer comment l’éducation musicale en contexte scolaire peut contribuer au développement de la compétence sociale de l’enfant d’âge préscolaire en milieu défavorisé. Dans ce but, des entretiens virtuels semi-dirigés ont été réalisés auprès d’enseignantes de maternelle (n = 2), d’enseignants de musique (n = 2) et de parents (n = 5) d’enfants qui ont participé à un projet d’éducation musicale intensif pendant deux ans (maternelle 4 ans et maternelle 5 ans). Une analyse thématique de contenu semi-inductive a permis de constater que des changements ont été observés dans les relations de l’enfant avec les autres à la suite de sa participation au programme, notamment avec ses enseignants de musique, ses parents et ses pairs. Selon les témoignages des participants, les enfants du programme ont développé leur ouverture aux autres et leur sentiment d’autoefficacité. Aucun mécanisme d’autorégulation des émotions et des comportements chez les enfants n’a été observé par les parents ou par les enseignants. L’instauration d’un programme d’éducation musicale à la maternelle a permis d’offrir un contexte favorable au développement d’un sentiment d’appartenance à l’école et au programme musical chez les enfants, les enseignants et les parents. Les modalités d’un programme musical intensif restent toutefois à définir afin d’être plus adaptés aux besoins de l’enfant d’âge préscolaire et au contexte scolaire. / In kindergarten, every aspect of a child's development is stimulated (motor, cognitive, language, affective and social). More specifically, children develop their social competence through various interactions with others. In disadvantaged environments, several issues can hinder a child's development, and preventive measures must be put in place. Research in recent years suggests that music education can support a child's development. The aim of this qualitative research was to explore how music education in a school context can contribute to the development of social competence in preschool children from disadvantaged backgrounds. For this purpose, virtual semistructured interviews were conducted with kindergarten teachers (n = 2), music teachers (n = 2) and parents (n = 5) of children who participated in an intensive two-year music education project (in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten). A semi-inductive thematic content analysis found that changes were observed in children's relationships with others following their participation in the program, particularly with their music teachers, parents, and peers. According to participant feedback, children in the program developed their openness to others and their sense of selfefficacy. No self-regulatory mechanisms for children’s emotions and behaviors were observed by parents or teachers. A music education program in kindergarten provided a favorable context for the development of a sense of belonging to the school and the music program among children, teachers, and parents. However, the conditions of an intensive music program still need to be defined to be better adapted to the needs of the preschooler and the school context.

Reports on the escalation of violence in South African schools have been a cause for concern. The Media have reported a high incidence of adolescent anger towards and fights with peers, family members and school teachers. Alcohol and drug abuse, risky sexual behaviours and gang related activities are also noted as a concern among school-going adolescents. These behaviours are precursors to mental health problems among school-going adolescents and prompted the researcher to carry out an investigation on how high schools promote the mental health of their learners. A sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was used to explore the experiences of school-going adolescents, school teachers and school health nurses in dealing with social and emotional problems in high schools. An event history calendar was used to collect both the quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was used with school going adolescents, whereas, qualitative data in the form of focus groups was used with school nurses and individual interviews was used with school teachers. Qualitative individual interviews were also used with a subset of school going adolescents to augment the quantitative results. The two sets of data were analysed independently and only at interpretation of findings were they collated and integrated. Quantitative data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics whilst content analysis and thematic analysis were used with qualitative data. Major findings of the study revealed that adolescents’ problems manifested themselves as inappropriate handling of emotions which resulted in drug and alcohol abuse, risky sexual behaviours and gangsterism which adversely impacted on the adolescents’ social-emotional well-being and mental health. A universal prevention and promotion programme through social and emotional learning to address the social and emotional ailments of adolescents that impede mental health promotion in high schools was proposed. The “TEAM” intervention proposes the promotion of positive peer relationships through the use of positive gangs in a safe, caring and cooperative school climate. The intervention would also capacitate adolescents with prosocial skills and values that would yield positive outcomes for greater academic and life successes generally. The study recommends the use of the proposed ‘TEAM’ intervention in schools for mental health promotion. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)