Results from a multi-year randomized controlled trial are included in peer reviewed article, published in The Elementary School Journal
NEW YORK, March 25, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Positive Action Program improves behavioral, social, and emotional outcomes in a diverse population of elementary school students, according to a new article recently published in The Elementary School Journal. The program was developed by Positive Action, Inc. (PAI), the leading education and technology company for evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs.
The final results, measured over each student's journey from grades three to five, showed that students who were taught the Positive Action Program had more positive outcomes than students who were not. Seven content areas were measured: positive youth development, emotional health, self-esteem, health behaviors, problem behaviors, environmental climate, and academics. Growth curve analyses revealed statistically significant effects in each of the content areas.
In each participating school, more than 50 percent of students were from low socioeconomic backgrounds and more than 50 percent of students had not passed state achievement tests. Experimental and control group schools were matched on variables including racial demographics and percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.
"We continue to be committed to supporting the social, emotional, behavioral, and academic growth of diverse student communities with evidence-based content. This study further cements our position as one of the only SEL program providers backed by Tier 1-level evidence as defined by ESSA," says Alex Allred, the CEO of PAI. Evidence-based Interventions, defined by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, as applied by the U.S. Department of Education are classified into four tiers. Tier 1, the highest standard, also known as Strong Evidence, is reserved for interventions supported by one or more well-designed and well-implemented randomized controlled experimental studies. "As education emerges from the challenges of the pandemic, the need for effective and reliable mental health resources for students cannot be overstated," says Allred.
The rigorous longitudinal study assessed the impact of the Positive Action Program on low-income, urban, minority elementary students in grades 3-5. Data for the study were obtained as part of a randomized controlled trial funded by grants from the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
"This research provides evidence that SEL programs can work for low-income, minority populations, contributing to a gap in the current SEL literature. Further, this research demonstrates the wide variation of programmatic impacts on students' attitudes, skills, and behaviors, such as academics, positive youth development, and problem behaviors," says Kendra Lewis, associate state specialist professor at the University of New Hampshire and co-investigator of the study, underscoring the strength of evidence supporting the benefits of the Positive Action Program.
Read the abstract of the study, entitled, "Effects of Positive Action in Elementary School on Student Behavioral and Social-Emotional Outcomes" by Kendra M. Lewis, Stefanie D. Holloway, Niloofar Bavarian, Naida Silverthorn, David L. Dubois, Brian R. Flay, and Carl F. Siebert, which appeared in the June 2021 issue of The Elementary School Journal, here: https://doi.org/10.1086/714065
About Positive Action, Inc.
Positive Action, Inc. (PAI) is the leading education and technology company for evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs. Developed by founder Dr. Carol Allred beginning in 1973 and first published in 1982, our PreK-12 programs are based on the intuitive philosophy that we feel good about ourselves when we do positive actions. We offer the only SEL program proven to simultaneously improve student academic achievement and behavior in multiple, multi-year randomized controlled trials, the highest standard of evidence-based education. Our programs have earned prestigious accolades from numerous institutions, including the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, Harvard University, and The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). For more information, visit: https://www.positiveaction.net/.
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SOURCE The Positive Action Program
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