This meta-analysis investigated the practical significance of school counselor-led social emotional learning (SEL) interventions on outcomes for students in Grades 6–12. The sample includes 28 studies involving 3,794 middle and high school students. The treatment group was comprised of a total of 2,032 students, who received interventions led by a certified school counselor. The control/comparison groups were derived from a sample of 1,762 middle and high school students who did not receive the school counselor-led intervention. The meta-analysis included a diverse sample of students, with ethnicity reported as 589 (15.52%) African American, 52 (1.37%) Asian, 1,162 (30.63%) Hispanic, 1,267 (33.39%) Caucasian, 11 (0.28%) Native American, 21 (0.55%) Pacific Islander, and 177 (4.66%) Multi-racial/Other. Of the studies included in the meta-analysis, the ethnicities of 412 (18.86%) students were not reported. A total of 12 studies were conducted at the middle school level, 10 at the high school level, and 6 studies reported a mixed setting of Grades 6–12. The sample included almost equal representation of 1,883 (49.63%) males and 1,847 (48.68%) females, and the genders of 69 (1.82%) students were not reported. The overall unweighted Cohen’s d effect size (ES) of the school counselor-led interventions was .312 (95% CI [.173, .452]). The ES for overall cognitive outcomes (d = 0.380) was slightly larger than for overall effective role functions outcomes (d =0.377) and affective outcomes (d = 0.356). The smallest ES reported for overall variables was for behavioral outcomes (d = 0.228). The largest ES for a specific student outcome measure was found for standardized achievement test scores (d = 0.612) (Vernez & Zimmer, 2007). Moderator analyses were conducted and are explored in the results and discussion. The results address the current gap in school counseling outcome research by broadening future research directions for comprehensive school counseling programs (CSCP) to incorporate SEL initiatives aimed for middle and high school students. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an accepted way of promoting an individual’s resilience, which is the ability to overcome challenging life circumstances to lead a fulfilling life. SEL is traditionally taught in schools as a universal, classroom-wide intervention. However, there is currently a gap in using SEL curricula as secondary, Tier II interventions. Strong Start, a SEL program, was evaluated as a Tier II intervention with 35 2nd grade students using a randomized-control trial design. Data were collected from students on their content knowledge of social-emotional constructs as well as from teachers on ratings of student problem behaviors and prosocial behaviors. Findings suggest improvements in student knowledge, teacher ratings of problem behaviors, and teacher ratings of prosocial behaviors for all students over time, with no significant group by time interaction. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

This qualitative case study, set within the sociocultural field of education, examined how intervention music lessons over the duration of one school year may have shaped the development of two seven and eight year old children presenting with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The students in the context of this research were selected from mainstream classes due to the emotional and behavioural difficulties they had exhibited. Through analysis of field notes, student iPad diaries and formal and informal interviews, an exploration into the impact of active and collaborative music learning and teaching on the social, emotional and behavioural learning of these students took place. The music learning and teaching was based around Eun’s (2010, p.405) socioculturally informed instructional model, which offers eight interrelated principles for instruction, namely that they should be: mediated; discursive; collaborative; responsive; contextualized; activity-orientated; developmental; and integrated. In examining the social and emotional development of these children during the music lessons, the emergent findings suggested that the intervention classes positively benefitted the children’s development in three main thematic areas, namely in personal competence, task competence and social competence. Although both children responded to the intervention music lessons in strikingly different ways, key findings highlighted substantial increases for both children in their self-esteem, possibly due to their success and achievements in music. The second pertinent finding was that the duration of the intervention programme itself was an important factor, with substantial increases being made in their affective development by the late research phase. Overall, this study highlighted the prominence of achievement in student’s affective development and I suggest that utilizing music as a vehicle for accomplishment for children presenting with SEBD, is a potentially powerful and influential resource.

<div>This dissertation includes two studies. The first study investigated longitudinal associations between the home and classroom environments at age 3 and academic and social outcomes at age 9 as well as the mediating role of attention regulation and language in these associations. Study 2 examined the continuity and change in the level of the quality of the home environment across ages 3 to 5 and its association with school readiness outcomes at age 5. Data for both studies came from four waves (baseline, age 3, 5 and 9) from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study, which includes 4898 children (52.4% male) and primary caregivers. Twenty one percent of the mothers for the total sample were White, 47% were Black, 27% were Hispanic, and 4% identified as other. Sixty five percent of mothers had an education level of high school or less, 24% completed some college, 11% had a college degree or higher. Results for study 1 indicated that better quality home and classroom environments at age 3 were related to stronger language skills at age 5, and the quality of the classroom environment was significantly related to better attention regulation at age 5. Further, mediation analyses indicated that children’s language skills at age 5 mediated the associations between both early contexts and later academic skills, and attention regulation at age 5 mediated associations between the classroom environment and later academic skills. Results for study 2 indicated that there was not stability in the quality of the home environment between the ages of 3 to 5. In addition, higher quality home environments at age 3 and change in the quality of the home environment predicted greater gains in children’s attention regulation, language, and social emotional competence. Taken together, findings from these studies inform our understanding of the importance of early environments for children’s school readiness and later skills and have potential implications for future research, policy, and interventions designed to promote healthy development in early and middle childhood. <br></div>

Concerns relating to the management of externalising and internalising behaviour are prevalent within UK educational policy and practice and represent a key domain for Educational Psychologist (EP) support. EP practice has been subject to change over time, following shifts in legislative approaches to managing behaviour in schools and changes to the contexts and systems within which EPs work, such as increased service trading. A systematic literature review (SLR) sought to represent EP behaviour practices within the existing literature. 12 papers, published between 2000-2017 were identified using a PRISMA framework and evaluated for methodological quality, appropriateness and relevance of focus. An empirical investigation, utilising the Research and Development in Organisations (RADIO) model within a single-case design, was also conducted within a north-west local authority educational psychology service. A focus group with 5 EPs and the Principal EP (PEP), and an interview with the PEP, were carried out and thematically analysed. The SLR identified a range of behavioural practices at individual, group and organisational levels, exemplifying the core functions of the EP role. Single and integrated psychological paradigms were applied, within relational and social constructionist approaches. The empirical investigation identified a range of behavioural practices, and underlying psychological paradigms, alongside ideas for future developments in behaviour service delivery and the possible facilitators and barriers to achieving this were considered. Reflections on the utility and experience of EP involvement in action research were also facilitated, with content analysis findings presented. Links to theory and practice, and implications for future research are considered, including empirical investigation of EP practice within local contexts. The application of psychology within local contexts and service development processes, are also considered. Finally, following an exploration of the concepts of evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence, and their implications for practitioner psychologists, a dissemination strategy for sharing findings with participants and the wider EP community is proposed.

Children spend at least seven and a half hours or 46.9% of their waking hours in the school setting, which brings a unique responsibility to schools (Beighle, Erwin, Morgan, & Alderman, 2012). School systems are expected to educate children according to adopted state standards and encourage a healthy, active lifestyle. The concept then is to increase knowledge by putting focus on academic achievement as well as promoting good citizenship by developing children’s social, emotional, and physical development, which happens during recess. Yet, recess and free play opportunities are on the decline in school systems across our nation. This reduction or elimination is being attributed to the federal and state accountability measures being instituted on state assessments. The growing trend is for schools to increase the amount of academic time and reduce the amount of time children can experience recess or free play opportunities. Research is being conducted through qualitative methods to assess the purpose and value of recess in the elementary school setting in a rural school district in southern middle Tennessee. Findings from this study will be useful in establishing school and district recess policies and evaluating recess practices within the district.

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My thesis deals with level of socially emotional competence of home educated children. In theoretical part I present concept of individual education and disputation of various authors on this subject, characterize development period of young school age and present theoretical delimitation of both test methods that I use for data collection. Empirical part consist of elaborate comparison of output of two groups of children aged 8 - 10 years, each group consist of 5 respondents. First group is constituted of children that are home educated more than one year. Second group include children attending regular educational institution and meet the conditions I determined for pair comparison. Main methods for data collection are the Intelligence and Development Scales (IDS) and my own initiative material made of seven photographs, that are evaluated with the Scale of Social Orientation (SOS). Results are processed qualitatively. I compare individual pair of children from exploratory and control group followed by summary comparison. Then I analyze content of answers. Acquired results don't imply any significant differences in performance of exploratory and control group. KEYWORDS homeschooling, social emotional competencies, younger school age, test IDS, the Scale of Social Orientation

Mental health disorders are rising in children and being referred to as an epidemic. Numerous studies have shown micronutrient deficiencies and poor diet quality are suspected of playing a contributory role in the escalation of certain disorders. However, there is no research in young children focusing specifically on social emotional disorders and possible links to nutrition. Conventional treatment for social emotional disorders in children typically involves medication. Parents are increasingly turning to complementary and alternative medicine to treat their children with a method that is individualized and holistic. The biopsychosocial model provided the theoretical framework for this correlational study that investigated the association between nutrient intake and social emotional functioning. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine if diet/health indicators were significant predictors of any of the subscale scores on the Behavior Assessment System for Children - Second Edition (BASC-2), Parent Rating Scale -Preschool social emotional variables. Intake of food categories was measured by the amount reported by a sample of 119 parents over a three-day period. Higher levels of processed food consumption significantly predicted higher scores of atypicality. Additionally, reporting a family history of mental illness was associated with lower levels of hyperactivity and depression. The relationships between the other diet quality/health indicators and social emotional functioning in children were non-significant. The results of this study offer an alternative or supplemental treatment modality to psychotropic drugs. With the increasing health and economic burden of mental health disorders in children, the investigation of risk factors such as nutrient intake, is an essential and pressing research initiative.

Active school social workers are tasked with teaching social-emotional learning to students, including high need youth placed in alternative education settings. Multitiered systems of support provide a framework utilized by school systems to identify and address all student needs. However, a gap in research exists for evidenced-based social-emotional learning practices for students falling within Tier 3 of the multitiered systems of support framework, particularly those separated from the mainstream population and educated in alternative programs. This study explored how school social workers address the social-emotional learning needs of students in alternative education settings within the state of Illinois. The qualitative case-study design used a purposive sample of school social workers. Data sources included individual semistructured and focus group interviews of school social workers, and program curricula materials. Data analysis followed the constructivist perspective that multiple explanations of reality exist and, therefore, knowledge is constructed and emerges through the social practices and interpretations of people. Results indicated that school social workers in Illinois struggle to find existing evidence-based interventions to meet the social-emotional learning needs of high-school students in alternative education due to limited resources. Social work services maintain a student-driven focus and are strengthened by school-wide systemic structures for social-emotional learning that include cohesive efforts among staff and time for individual student processing of behaviors. This research has potential for social change through expanding knowledge available for school social work practitioners to meet the social-emotional learning needs of students in alternative education.