Upshur, Carole C.; Heyman, Miriam; Wenz-Gross, Melodie (2017). Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology v50 p15-25. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED573440
Reviewed: November 2021
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.
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Backward Digit Span |
Second Step Early Learning (SSEL) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
1.40 |
1.23 |
No |
-- | |
|
Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders (HTKS) |
Second Step Early Learning (SSEL) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
18.76 |
15.19 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Challenging Situations Task: Prosocial |
Second Step Early Learning (SSEL) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
2.80 |
2.64 |
No |
-- | |
|
Emotion Matching Task: Short Form |
Second Step Early Learning (SSEL) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
23.99 |
24.06 |
No |
-- |
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
| Asian | 2% | |
| Black | 26% | |
| Other or unknown | 24% | |
| White | 47% |
| Hispanic | 39% | |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 61% |
The study was implemented in 31 classrooms in Head Start and community preschools serving low-income families.
Demographic information was only provided for the baseline sample. Only 4-year-old children were included in this study; the mean age of the baseline sample was 53 months (SD = 3.96). Of the baseline sample, 50.2% of students were male. The racial composition of the baseline sample was 47.4% White, 26.4% Black, 1.8% Asian, and 24.4% other or unspecified.
The intervention condition received the Second Step Early Learning curriculum (SSEL), which includes 28 weekly themes with scripted activities for 5 days of the week. Intervention teachers were asked to add SSEL activities into their daily lessons and to integrate SSEL with other curriculum requirements. Most classrooms used Creative Curriculum, because it was a state early childhood quality requirement. Other classrooms used Head Start frameworks. Daily components include theme-related songs and "Brain Builder" games. The curriculum has five major units: (a) Skills for Learning; (b) Empathy; (c) Emotion Management; (d) Friendship Skills and Problem Solving; and (e) Transition to Kindergarten. Each unit provides ideas on how to connect weekly themes to other curriculum goals in literacy, math, science, and social studies. Suggested teaching strategies involve providing specific reinforcement for positive behavior, helping children pay attention, encouraging participation, and integrating skills throughout the day. Intervention includes whole class and small group activities.
The comparison condition was business-as-usual. Most classrooms used Creative Curriculum because it was a state early childhood quality requirement. Other classrooms used Head Start frameworks.
Teachers were provided SSEL curriculum kits along with a story book for each lesson. Teachers participated in seven monthly 2-hour evening trainings over the course of a year. Study staff visited each intervention classroom once a month (November-May). During visits, study staff conducted observations and provided teachers individual coaching and written feedback on curriculum implementation.
Reviewed: November 2017
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.
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Backward Digit Span |
IES Funded Studies vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
1.39 |
1.23 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Emotion Matching Scale |
IES Funded Studies vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
24.02 |
24.06 |
No |
-- |
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
| Asian | 2% | |
| Black | 26% | |
| Other or unknown | 4% | |
| White | 47% |
| Hispanic | 39% | |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 61% |
This study was conducted in 31 classrooms in Head Start and community schools serving students ages 3-5. Some of the classrooms were in Massachusetts.
All of the sample members were 4 years old. At baseline, 50.2% of the sample were male, with similar proportions in the treatment and comparison groups. Children's ethnicity were as follows: 47.4% were White, 26.4% were African American, 38.8% were Hispanic, and 1.8% were Asian. 60.8% of the sample had a family income below $20,000.
The Second Step Early Learning (SSEL) curriculum consists of daily lessons based on 28 weekly themes on topics such as learning skills, managing emotions, relationship building, and preparation for kindergarten. The curriculum has short and varied activities that children work on in large and small groups, as well as scripted instructions and activities that teachers may use in instruction. It covers five major units including: Skills for Learning, Empathy, Emotion Management, Friendship Skills, and Transition to Kindergarten. Teachers in the intervention group added the SSEL curriculum activities to their instructional day and integrated these activities into other curriculum requirements.
The comparison condition was the usual curriculum used by the school. The majority of the classrooms used the state-mandated early childhood curriculum, the Creative Curriculum (Teaching Strategies, LLC, 2002–2012). The other classrooms used the Head Start frameworks.
Teachers in the intervention group were given SSEL curriculum kits and a storybook for each lesson. Ongoing implementation of the curriculum was supported by 2 years of professional development activity. In the first year of the study, group training was provided to teachers in seven monthly 2-hour sessions. In the second year of the study, five trainings were conducted. The intervention classrooms were also visited 6-7 times a year by study staff, who provided individual coaching and written feedback to teachers on the implementation of the curriculum. The study staff were trained by the curriculum developers.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).
Resources
Newsflash
Contact Us
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube