Pilot Study of PATHS® Implementation: Providence, Rhode Island

A small independent replication was conducted with 150 children in one high-poverty urban school and involved 150 first graders using a cohort comparison design. The study highlights the complexity of the impacts of intervention in a very high risk school in which significant school reform was simultaneously taking place in both reading and math (Seifer, Gouley, & Miller, 2004). Although the quality of implementation was not observed, teachers reported feeling overwhelmed and in most cases experienced substantial difficulty adding a sufficient number of PATHS® lessons to their curriculum. Weak administrative support was noted as an additional problem in this implementation. Nevertheless, in spite of these serious concerns regarding quality of implementation, significant effects were found with students who received PATHS® showing higher levels of social competence. There were also trends (p<.10) for children who received PATHS® as rated lower in peer rejection and depressive symptoms.

 

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