Identifier

etd-07062017-163113

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Recent research and development in the ever-growing area of systems-level change in schools, including positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS), school climate, and social-emotional learning (SEL), has stressed the importance in fostering positive outcomes for students. The additional focus on encouraging and promoting positive school-based relationships and cultivating individual student strengths has shown promising outcomes, including higher academic achievement, lower levels of problem behavior, and a greater sense of belonging in schools. However, in some disadvantaged and high-needs school districts, implementing systemic approaches or obtaining the personnel to implement individualized student services can prove exceedingly difficult, namely due to limited resources and financial constraints. Given the emphasis on utilizing evidence-based practice in our schools whenever possible, there is a growing need for cost-efficient, feasible, and effective interventions for fostering subjective wellbeing and social, emotional, and behavioral competence in our students. The current study investigated the impact of two distinct classroom-based interventions on behavior, school connectedness, and student subjective wellbeing. Results revealed limited and variable findings across outcome variables and intervention conditions, but also suggest positive potential interventions that warrant future research. While there were limited effects of either intervention on student-reported subjective wellbeing, there did appear to be a protective factor associated with maintaining student-reported levels of gratitude and abating teacher-reported levels of conflict across both intervention conditions. Despite negligible differences between interventions on any of the outcome variables, analyses also revealed significant and large effects for both intervention groups in improving classroom behavior, where several variables declined for students participating in control classrooms. Further, participating teachers and students rated both interventions as highly acceptable, and teachers also rated both interventions as feasible, understandable, and requiring little external support and resources to implement. The following manuscript includes further examination of these results, a discussion of the importance of these early findings, and implications for practice and future research.

Date

2017

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Gresham, Frank M

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.4433

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS