Study: 88817

Practice Guide

Review Details

Reviewed: January 2024

At least one finding shows promising evidence of effectiveness

At least one statistically significant positive finding

Meets WWC standards without reservations

For:

Practice Guide (findings for TAKE CHARGE)

Using:

Rating:

Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.

This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.

Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Findings

Academic achievement outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index	Evidence tier
Grade Point Average (GPA)	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	N/A	N/A	No	--

College Readiness outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index
Postsecondary preparation	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	2.53	1.52	Yes	37
Show Supplemental Findings
Postsecondary preparation	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 119 students	2.58	2.56	No	--

General Employability Skills outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index
Researcher-Developed Career Development Measure	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	2.64	2.04	Yes	27
Show Supplemental Findings
Researcher-Developed Career Development Measure	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 119 students	2.18	2.01	No	--

Intrapersonal Competencies outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index
Researcher-developed self-attribution of accomplishments	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	2.75	1.95	Yes	26
AIR (American Institue for Research) Self-Determination Scale: Parent	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	66.43	63.52	No	--
Goals self-report	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	2.30	2.05	No	--
Anxiety Scale (Youth Self-Report)	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 122 students	53.60	56.19	No	--
Show Supplemental Findings
Anxiety Scale (Youth Self-Report)	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 112 students	54.09	54.61	No	--
Child Behavior Checklist - anxious-depressed	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 90 students	56.20	59.00	No	--
Child Behavior Checklist - somatic complaints	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 113 students	57.84	60.70	No	--
Child Behavior Checklist - withdrawn-depressed	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 90 students	58.23	61.19	No	--
Child Behavior Checklist - anxious-depressed	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 113 students	55.33	60.43	No	--
Child Behavior Checklist - withdrawn-depressed	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 113 students	58.89	62.36	No	--
Child Behavior Checklist - somatic complaints	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 90 students	55.56	60.00	No	--
Teacher Report Form: Anxious-Depressed	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 119 students	N/A	N/A	--	--
Teacher Report Form: Withdrawn-Depressed	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 119 students	N/A	N/A	--	--
Teacher Report Form: Somatic Complaints	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 119 students	N/A	N/A	--	--

Progressing in school (secondary school) outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index
Credits earned toward high school graduation	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	N/A	N/A	No	--
Show Supplemental Findings
Credits earned toward high school graduation	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 119 students	N/A	N/A	No	--

Staying in Secondary School outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index
School drop out	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	0.07	0.05	No	--
Show Supplemental Findings
School drop out	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 119 students	0.10	0.17	No	--

Student Behavior outcomes—Substantively important positive effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index
Researcher-Created Educational Planning Assessment: Student Version (SEPA)	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	26.10	23.65	No	--
Researcher-Created Educational Planning Assessment: Parent Version (PEPA)	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 101 students	22.13	19.32	No	--
Researcher-Created Educational Planning Assessment: Teacher Version (TEPA)	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 116 students	20.40	17.89	No	--
Show Supplemental Findings
Researcher-Created Educational Planning Assessment: Parent Version (PEPA)	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 97 students	22.62	19.40	Yes	17
Researcher-Created Educational Planning Assessment: Student Version (SEPA)	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 119 students	26.61	23.93	Yes	15

Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Sample Characteristics

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.

Female: 46%
Male: 54%
Urban

Race
Asian		1%
Black		29%
Native American		7%
Other or unknown		7%
Two or more races		6%
White		50%

Ethnicity
Hispanic		7%
Other or unknown		93%

Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch
Other or unknown		100%

Study Details

Setting

The study took place in a set of high schools in one urban school district in the United States. The district, city, and state were not identified by the authors.

Study sample

The researchers randomly assigned 133 students to the intervention and comparison group. A total of 123 students were included in the study. Approximately 46% were female, 50% were white, 29% African American, 7% Native American, 6% multiethnic, 1% Asian, and 7% were Hispanic. The average age of the sample was 15.5 years. In terms of special education eligibility, 42 percent were eligible based on emotional/behavior considerations, 27 percent were eligible for based on learning challenges, 15 percent were eligible for special education based on speech/language issues, and eight percent were eligible based on an intellectual disability.

Intervention Group

The TAKE CHARGE intervention is designed to boost the school performance of students in special education and foster care. The program included two components: (1) individualized coaching to aid students in boosting self-determination skills so that they can achieve their educational goals, and to encourage them to attend educational planning meetings; (2) group mentoring provided by foster care alumni who had completed high school and were either working or in college. The intervention lasted approximately 9 months, with coaches and youth typically meeting weekly for 60 to 90 minutes. Students were also invited to participate in three mentoring workshops. The intervention’s primary focus is self-determination.

Comparison Group

Students in the comparison group received business-as-usual high school and special education instruction, including related services, exchanges with special education case managers, individualized educational planning, and extracurricular activities provided by their schools.

Support for implementation

The intervention was an out-of-school program; intervention coaches received training and were observed. Coaches also attended weekly meetings to discuss their work with youth and so they could receive ongoing support. The coaches completed weekly logs to document their activities with students.

Single Study Review

Review Details

Reviewed: November 2021

At least one finding shows promising evidence of effectiveness

At least one statistically significant positive finding

Meets WWC standards without reservations

For:

Single Study Review (findings for TAKE CHARGE)

Using:

Rating:

Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.

Findings

Staying in Secondary School outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index
School drop out	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 123 students	7.00	5.00	No	--
Show Supplemental Findings
School drop out	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 119 students	10.00	17.00	No	--

Student emotional status outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index
Child Behavior Checklist: Anxious-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 113 students	55.33	60.43	Yes	24
Youth Self-Report: Anxious-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 122 students	53.60	56.19	No	--
Child Behavior Checklist: Withdrawn-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 113 students	58.89	62.36	No	--
Child Behavior Checklist: Somatic Complaints Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 113 students	57.84	60.70	No	--
Teacher Report Form: Somatic Complaints Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 119 students	54.98	55.89	No	--
Teacher Report Form: Anxious-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 119 students	57.62	58.10	No	--
Teacher Report Form: Withdrawn-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	0 Days	Full sample; 119 students	58.05	57.39	No	--
Show Supplemental Findings
Child Behavior Checklist: Somatic Complaints Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 90 students	55.56	60.00	Yes	20
Child Behavior Checklist: Anxious-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 90 students	56.20	59.00	No	--
Child Behavior Checklist: Withdrawn-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 90 students	58.23	61.19	No	--
Teacher Report Form: Somatic Complaints Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 95 students	55.20	56.10	No	--
Youth Self-Report: Anxious-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 112 students	54.09	54.61	No	--
Teacher Report Form: Withdrawn-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 95 students	57.57	57.61	No	--
Teacher Report Form: Anxious-Depressed Subscale	TAKE CHARGE vs. Business as usual	9 Months	Full sample; 95 students	59.22	59.00	No	--

Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Sample Characteristics

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.

Female: 46%
Male: 54%
Urban
- B
- A
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- I
- H
- J
- K
- L
- P
- M
- N
- O
- Q
- R
- S
- V
- U
- T
- W
- X
- Z
- Y
- a
- h
- i
- b
- d
- e
- f
- c
- g
- j
- k
- l
- m
- n
- o
- p
- q
- r
- s
- t
- u
- v
- x
- w
- y
West

Race
Asian		1%
Black		29%
Native American		7%
Other or unknown		13%
White		50%

Ethnicity
Hispanic		7%
Not Hispanic or Latino		94%

Study Details

Setting

The study appears to have been conducted in the Pacific Northwest (i.e., Oregon), however the location is not specifically mentioned by the authors. The study included youth in foster care who were receiving special education services from public schools in an urban school district. Students were in ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade.

Study sample

On average, the students were 15 years old, with slightly more males (54%) than females (46%). The majority (82%) were in non-relative foster care. Approximately one-third of the students attended school in an alternative setting due to emotional, behavioral, or attendance issues. Over one-third of the participating students experienced physical (38%) or sexual abuse (33%).

Intervention Group

The TAKE CHARGE intervention included two components: (1) individualized coaching to aid students in boosting self-determination skills so that they can achieve their educational goals, and to encourage them to attend educational planning meetings; (2) group mentoring provided by foster care alumni who had completed high school and were either working or in college. The intervention lasted approximately 9 months, with coaches and youth typically meeting weekly for 60 to 90 minutes. Students were also invited to participate in workshops (three in total).

Comparison Group

The students in the comparison group received business-as-usual services including general and special education classes, services, interaction with special education case managers, individualized educational planning, and extracurricular activities.

Support for implementation

Intervention coaches completed formal training and observation, and attended weekly meetings to discuss their work with youth. The coaches also completed weekly logs to document their activities with students.

Additional Sources

In the case of multiple manuscripts that report on one study, the WWC selects one manuscript as the primary citation and lists other manuscripts that describe the study as additional sources.

Geenen, S., & Powers, L. E. (2006). Are we ignoring youths with disabilities in foster care? An examination of their school performance. Social work, 51(3), 233-241.

Experimental study of a self-determination intervention for youth in foster care

Practice Guide

Review Details

Findings

Sample Characteristics

Study Details

Setting

Study sample

Intervention Group

Comparison Group

Support for implementation

Single Study Review

Review Details

Findings

Sample Characteristics

Study Details

Setting

Study sample

Intervention Group

Comparison Group

Support for implementation

Additional Sources