Context Matters for Social‐Emotional Learning: Examining Variation in Program Impact by Dimensions of School Climate. Issue 1 (23rd June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McCormick, Meghan P.; Cappella, Elise; O'Connor, Erin E.; McClowry, Sandee G.
• Is Part Of: American journal of community psychology. Volume 56:Issue 1/2(2015)
• Page Start: 134
• Page End: 144
• Publication Date: 2015-06-23
• Subjects: Social-emotional learning -- Academic achievement -- School climate -- School context; Community psychology -- Periodicals; Community mental health services -- Periodicals; Community psychiatry -- Periodicals; Community Mental Health Services -- Periodicals; Community Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 155.905
• DOI: 10.1007/s10464-015-9733-z
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0091-0562

Abstract

Abstract: This paper examines whether three dimensions of school climate—leadership, accountability, and safety/respect—moderated the impacts of the INSIGHTS program on students' social‐emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes. Twenty‐two urban schools and N = 435 low‐income racial/ethnic minority students were enrolled in the study and received intervention services across the course of 2 years, in both kindergarten and first grade. Intervention effects on math and reading achievement were larger for students enrolled in schools with lower overall levels of leadership, accountability, and safety/respect at baseline. Program impacts on disruptive behaviors were greater in schools with lower levels of accountability at baseline; impacts on sustained attention were greater in schools with lower levels of safety/respect at baseline. Implications for Social‐Emotional Learning program implementation, replication, and scale‐up are discussed.