Aaron M. Thompson

Effects of Check and Connect on Attendance, Behavior, and Academics A Randomized Effectiveness Trial

Objectives: This study examined the effects of Check & Connect (C&C) on the attendance, behavior, and academic outcomes of at-risk youth in a field-based effectiveness trial. Method: A multisite randomized block design was used, wherein 260 primarily Hispanic (89%) and economically disadvantaged (74%) students were randomized to treatment or control conditions within 14 urban middle and high schools. The social service organization Communities In Schools implemented C&C in each of the schools, and the effects were compared to those of typical Communities In Schools services. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to account for the nested or random school-level effects when modeling student-level responses to the intervention. Results: Controlling for pretest performance and all relevant student- and school-level characteristics, C&C was significantly related to improvements in academic performance and reductions in disciplinary referrals. No significant effects were found for attendance. Conclusions: C&C is a promising intervention to improve outcomes for at-risk youth in school settings. Application to social work practice and research are discussed.Objectives: This study examined the effects of Check & Connect (C&C) on the attendance, behavior, and academic outcomes of at-risk youth in a field-based effectiveness trial. Method: A multisite randomized block design was used, wherein 260 primarily Hispanic (89%) and economically disadvantaged (74%) students were randomized to treatment or control conditions within 14 urban middle and high schools. The social service organization Communities In Schools implemented C&C in each of the schools, and the effects were compared to those of typical Communities In Schools services. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to account for the nested or random school-level effects when modeling student-level responses to the intervention. Results: Controlling for pretest performance and all relevant studentand school-level characteristics, C&C was significantly related to improvements in academic performance and reductions in disciplinary referrals. No significant effects were found for attendance. Conclusions: C&C is a promising intervention to improve outcomes for at-risk youth in school settings. Application to social work practice and research are discussed.

Black Men's Perceptions of Divorce-Related Stressors and Strategies for Coping With Divorce: An Exploratory Study

The divorce rate among Blacks in the United States has increased significantly in recent years. Consequently, an increasing number of Black men confront problems associated with adjusting to divorce. Using data from in-depth interviews, we identify factors that working-class/middle-class Black men perceive to cause significant stress following divorce and we examine strategies that they use to reestablish their lives. The results show that Black men confront the following divorce-related stressors: (a) financial strain, (b) noncustodial parenting, (c) child-support stressors, and (d) psychological as well as physiological distress. The findings suggest that divorced Black men experience profound postdivorce psychological distress. The data further indicate that Black men employ the following strategies to cope with the stress of marital dissolution: (a) reliance on family and friends, (b) involvement in church-related activities, (c) participation in social activities, and (d) establishment of intimate heterosexual relationships 1 year after divorce. These findings indicate that postdivorce adjustment should be scrutinized within relevant social-cultural contexts.

Black Men Make Sense of Marital Distress and Divorce: An Exploratory Study

In the past 30 years, there have been significant changes in the Black family structure (Cherlin, 1992; Farley & Allen, 1987). One dramatic change has been the gradual disintegration of marital bonds. For example, the proportion of Blacks who divorce has increased, whereas the proportion who marry has declined (Cherlin, 1992). In 1990, the divorce ratio was 28.2 divorces per 100 marriages among Blacks, compared to 13 per 100 for Whites U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1991). In part, the increase in the divorce rate has led to a decrease in Black two-parent families. For example, in 1970, 68% of Black families had both husband and wife present, compared to 50% by 1990. This represents a decrease of 18% in 20 years, compared to a 6% decrease for White families (Pinkney, 1993). Black children of divorce comprise 19% of children who reside in single-parent households; 56.3% of Black children who live in single-parent households do so as a consequence of the mother never marrying the father (Eshleman, 1993). Consequently, the enduring Black married couple is an endangered species, and couples in which one or both partners have been married previously are becoming the norm (Cherlin, 1992). The increased prevalence of divorce among Blacks has been attributed to the attitudes of Blacks toward marriage (Anderson, 1989; Heiss, 1988), the quality of life among Black men and women (Bennett, Bloom, & Craig, 1989; Pinkney, 1993), the economic marginality of Blacks (Farley & Allen, 1987; Hampton, 1979; Wilkinson, 1977; Willie, 1991), the liberalization of divorce laws (Rheinstein, 1972; Weitzman, 1985), and the unequal sex ratio in the Black community (Guttentag & Secord, 1983; South & Lloyd, 1992; Staples, 1985). Although various factors have been considered to explain the high incidence of marital disruption among Blacks, research on the perspective of Black males on the causes of marital distress and divorce is relatively sparse. According to Fine, McKenry, and Chung (1992), most divorce research has explored marital distress and divorce from the perspectives of Black and White women. The reasons men and women offer for their divorces differ significantly (Kitson, 1992; Reissman, 1990). In fact, discrepancies between mens and womens reports have been documented in the areas of child support payments (Wright & Price, 1986), fathers involvement postdivorce (Seltzer & Bianchi, 1988), and the postdivorce relationships between former spouses (Goldsmith, 1981). Thus, to understand the high rate of divorce among Blacks, the examination of causes that lead to marital distress and divorce from the perspective of Black men is essential. Studies have reported that structural conditions contribute to the increased prevalence of marital disruption in the Black population (Billingsley, 1992; Hampton, 1979; South, 1993). For example, economic changes in the past 30 years have produced major shifts in employment opportunities for Black males and females. The reduction of manufacturing employment and the decrease in white-collar jobs has produced a decline in the Black working class, an expansion of the Black underclass, and an unstable Black middle class (Billingsley, 1988). For Black men, the change in the economy has resulted in a decline in their labor force participation rate. Studies have documented the relationship between unemployment or sporadic employment and high divorce rates (Fergusson, Horwood, & Shannon, 1984; Martin & Bumpass, 1989; Smith & Meitz, 1985). This article identifies structural as well as personal factors that Black men believe contributed to the instability of their marriages and, in turn, led to divorce. The purpose of this article is to present the findings from in-depth interviews with Black divorced men. Specifically, this study explores the reasons Black men offer for their divorces, and begins to fill a void in understanding the strategies Black men use to cope with structural changes and their effect on marital stability. …

Treatment for School Refusal among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: School refusal is a psychosocial problem associated with adverse short- and long-term consequences for children and adolescents. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effects of psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with school refusal. Method: A comprehensive search process was used to find eligible randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies assessing the effects of psychosocial treatments on anxiety or attendance outcomes. Data were quantitatively synthesized using meta-analytic methods. Results: Eight studies including 435 children and adolescents with school refusal were included in this review. Significant effects were found for attendance but not for anxiety. Conclusions: Evidence indicates that improvements in school attendance occur for children and adolescents with school refusal who receive psychosocial treatment. The lack of evidence of short-term effects on anxiety points to the need for long-term follow-up studies to determine whether increased attendance ultimately leads to reduced anxiety.

Developing a Tiered Response Model for Social-Emotional Learning Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration

A tiered response model for social-emotional learning (SEL) is needed to address the significant mental health needs of young people in this country. In collaboration with other school mental health professionals, school psychologists have a unique expertise that situates them to be systems change agents in this work. This article describes a pilot project that focused on augmenting existing SEL services with SEL assessment within a tiered system of support in one elementary school. Using a consultation-based model grounded in principles of empowerment evaluation, an interdisciplinary school team used SEL data collected during one school year to inform the delivery of SEL interventions and supports. Data from SEL, academic, and behavioral assessments were examined retrospectively to illustrate the potential value of integrating assessments and interventions across domains. The discussion offers implications for ongoing efforts to develop and implement tiered response models through interdisciplinary collaboration among school mental health professionals.

The Social and Emotional Dimensions of a Single Item Overall School Readiness Screener and its Relation to Academic Outcomes

The purpose of the study was to examine the relations among a single item school readiness screener, social/emotional ratings, and academic performance. A prior study found that single item kindergarten readiness ratings completed in the fall predicted end-of-year academic and behavior outcomes even after controlling for baseline scores. Here, we attempted to extend these findings by using a single overall readiness item, an expanded rating scale for the item, and a comparison with other social and emotional ratings provided by teachers. Fifty-five teachers in 18 elementary school sites completed the overall readiness item on 893 kindergarten students. Teachers also completed Likert-type social emotional items and assessments of emergent literacy skills on all students. Results suggested that teachers use basic social behavior expectations in their judgments of readiness rather than extreme disruptive behaviors. In addition, the single item identified students who were below benchmark and not prepared to start school with higher accuracy than a 14-item social rating scale. Discussion focuses on the promise and limitations of the single item measure and future directions for its study and use.

A Randomized Trial of the "Self-Management Training and Regulation Strategy" for Disruptive Students.

Objectives: The study examined the effects of the Self-Management Training and Regulation Strategy (STARS) on disruptive behavior, authority acceptance, social competency, and student–teacher relations. Method: All fourth- and fifth-grade students (N = 762) in seven schools and 42 classrooms were screened for disruptive behaviors. Using a cluster randomized design, 60 students in 23 classrooms and 48 students in 19 classrooms with highest levels of disruptive classroom behaviors were randomized to STARS or a control comparison condition. Multilevel models compared study conditions on all outcomes. Results: Study conditions were balanced at pretest. STARS students demonstrated improved teacher-rated disruptive behavior, social competence, authority acceptance, and relations. Conclusions: Selective programs targeting autonomy support improve social competencies and relationships that are important for school success.

The Making Choices Program: Impact of Social-Emotional Skills Training on the Risk Status of Third Graders.

The findings reported here describe the effects from a cohort-controlled trial of Making Choices (MC), a universal social-emotional skills training program. From teacher ratings, 688 third-grade students were classified into 4 risk profiles using measures of aggression, social competence, classroom concentration, and peer relations. High-risk students were more aggressive and less socially competent, on-task, and liked by peers; low-risk students were less aggressive and more socially competent, on-task, and liked by peers. Program effects were estimated as changes in profile membership between pretest and posttest assessments. Relative to high-risk students in comparison cohorts, a greater proportion of high-risk students in MC cohorts had moved to low-risk groups at posttest. Low-risk students in MC cohorts tended to remain at lower risk while a larger proportion of low-risk students in the comparison cohorts joined higher-risk groups. Social-emotional skills training appears to confer benefits for both high- and low-risk children.

Impact of Incredible Years® on teacher perceptions of parental involvement: A latent transition analysis

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of the Incredible Years® Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) training on teacher perceptions of parental involvement. A cluster randomized design was used to assign 42 classroom teachers to either an IY TCM training (n=19) or a control condition (n=23). Teachers rated parental involvement (i.e., bonding with teacher, parental involvement at school) for the families of 805 low income students (IY TCM=504, control=301). A latent profile transition analysis framework was used to model the effect of IY TCM on teacher perceptions of parental involvement from pre to posttest. Four profiles consisting of various patterns of high, medium, and low teacher perceptions of bonding with and involvement of parents emerged. Analyses of teacher profiles at baseline revealed teachers who felt parental involvement and bonding was low were also likely to rate students as having more externalizing behaviors, fewer social competencies, more attention deficit symptoms, and disruptive behaviors towards adults and peers compared to teachers with more adaptive profiles. Further analysis revealed that parents of teachers randomly assigned to IY TCM were more likely to transition to a more adaptive view of parental involvement at follow-up compared to teachers in the control condition. Because teacher perceptions of parental involvement may adversely impact teacher attitudes towards difficult students, findings from the present study support the promise of teacher training as an avenue for conferring protections for struggling students.

Effect of the Imagination Library on caregiver–child literacy interactions and school readiness: findings from two quasi-experimental propensity score studies

ABSTRACT The paper reports findings of two quasi-experimental, propensity score matched (PSM) studies on the effects of Imagination Library (IL). IL is a community book-distribution program targeting improved caregiver–child literacy interactions, which are hypothesized to lead to increased school readiness – consisting of improved emergent literacy skills and social-emotional school readiness. In Study One, interviews were used to examine proximal increases in the quality of child–caregiver literacy interactions with 112 PSM families (IL = 56; non-IL = 56). Small effects were observed in Study One favoring IL families on reading interactions (d = .043). In Study Two, 378 PSM kindergarten students (IL = 189; non-IL = 189) were compared with regard to standardized tests of emergent literacy skills and social-emotional school readiness – distal outcomes of IL. No effects were observed in Study Two. Taken together, these two studies run counter to prior reports on the effects of IL and suggest that more must be done to improve emergent literacy and school readiness beyond simply providing free books.