NCJ Number
160429
Date Published
1991
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The short-term effects of a school-based psycho-educational curriculum on children's adaptive classroom functioning and emotional understanding was examined using a sample of 69 children in self-contained special-needs classrooms in grades 1 through 4.
Abstract
The participants included 49 boys and 20 girls; their average age was 8 years. The participants were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. The experimental group received the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum. It consisted of approximately 60 lessons focusing on self-control, self-esteem, emotional understanding, and problem-solving skills. Classroom teachers of the experimental group were trained in a 3-day workshop and taught the curriculum for approximately 30 minutes, 4 days a week, from October to May. Classroom assistants also took part in the 3-day workshop. Pre-testing of the children took place in spring 1988; post-testing took place in spring 1989. Results revealed that the students who received the curriculum had significant improvements in frustration tolerance, assertive social skills, orientation, peer social skills, and emotional laving. Findings suggest that PATHS is effective for promoting adaptive classroom behavior and emotional understanding in children with special needs. Follow-up data are being analyzed to determine whether the findings were maintained over time. Table