PREP (PREPARATION THROUGH RESPONSIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS) - EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TO PREVENT JUVENILE PROBLEMS (FROM PROGRESS IN BEHAVIOR THERAPY WITH DELINQUENTS, 1979, BY J S STUMPHAUZER - SEE NCJ-57369)

• NCJ Number: 57375
• Author(s): J FILIPCZAK; R M FRIEDMAN; S C REESE
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 23 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH14443; MH21950
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Charles C. Thomas
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REVIEWS THE HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH SEVERE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. PRELIMINARY EVALUATION STUDIES CONDUCTED IN THREE SETTINGS SHOW GOOD RESULTS.

Abstract

PREPARATION THROUGH RESPONSIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS (PREP) ORIGINATED IN PROGRAMS CALLED CASE AND CASE 2. THESE PROGRAMS CONCENTRATED ON IMPROVING THE ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING OF JUVENILES COMMITTED TO A JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. AS AN OUTGROWTH OF THIS WORK, PREP WAS ESTABLISHED AS A 5-YEAR EXPERIMENT TO WORK WITH TROUBLED YOUNG PEOPLE BEFORE THEY REACHED THE DELINQUENCY STAGE. PREP BEGAN IN 1971 AND HAS BEEN IN AN URBAN, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL SCHOOL. IT HAS FOUR BASIC ELEMENTS: (1) INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION IN MATH AND ENGLISH FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE REFERRED DUE TO BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS AND FOR STUDENTS WHO VOLUNTEER FOR THIS REMEDIAL WORK, (2) GROUP INTERPERSONAL SKILLS CLASSES, (3) AN EDUCATIONAL AND COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR PARENTS, AND (4) TEACHER AND STAFF TRAINING. SUBSTANTIAL DATA IS AVAILABLE ON ABOUT 600 STUDENTS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED FOR VARYING PERIODS OF TIME. PREP STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY EARNED HIGHER GRADES IN THE PREP SUBJECTS (ENGLISH, READING, AND MATHEMATICS) THAN DID CONTROL SUBJECTS. THESE SKILLS CARRIED OVER INTO NON-PREP SUBJECTS. BEHAVIORAL MEASURES WERE LESS CONSISTENT. DURING THE FIRST 2 YEARS THE SUBURBAN SCHOOL FOUND SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN FAVOR OF THE PREP STUDENTS, BUT THESE SUBSIDED IN YEARS 3 AND 4, POSSIBLY DUE TO CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE PROGRAM. THE RURAL SCHOOL AND THE URBAN SCHOOL HAVE FOUND SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE PREP STUDENTS. EFFECTS OF PREP ON ATTENDANCE WERE MIXED. THE SUBURBAN SCHOOL HAD NO ATTENDANCE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH; THE RURAL SCHOOL FOUND NO DIFFERENCE; AND THE URBAN SCHOOL FOUND NO DIFFERENCE FOR THE FIRST 2 YEARS, BUT SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FOR THE PREP STUDENTS THE LAST 2 YEARS. TABLES PRESENT THIS STUDY DATA. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)